In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Carolina Panthers HC Frank Reich confirmed that Bryce Young will start at quarterback for the team this season.
As reported by David Newton of ESPN, the former Indianapolis Colts coach isn’t surprised about Young’s poise and how NFL-ready he looks this early in his career.
Panthers coach Frank Reich isn’t surprised at all that rookie Bryce Young is QB1 this early in his development. pic.twitter.com/7n6zlWdmAX
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) July 26, 2023
Notably, this pretty much contradicts the team’s message from early in the offseason, as they had hinted at starting Andy Dalton over Young to protect him and take things slowly with him.
However, that never made any sense.
The Panthers traded up to get their hands on the Alabama product, who was the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback — and player — in this class.
There will be some concerns about his size and muscle — or lack thereof — that’ll follow him for the better part of his career, but he looked as ready as the next guy to take the field for Week 1.
Young possesses a bright football mind and has shown to be a mature and hard-working guy, and there was never a single doubt that he would get a grasp on the playbook and the offense right away.
He’s coming off dominating the SEC almost at will and has all the intangible tools to become one of the biggest stars of the game sooner rather than later.
The Panthers’ ceiling with Dalton at QB was significantly lower than with their prized rookie.
And while there will obviously be some growing pains, it’s exciting to know that we’ll get to see the No.1 pick from the jump.
NEXT: NFL Insider Reveals Terms Of Bryce Young's Rookie Deal
