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The Tuscaloosa News
Mel Kiper Jr. on Bryce Young benching: Panthers 'mishandled' situation from the start
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Mel Kiper Jr. on Bryce Young benching: Panthers 'mishandled' situation from the start
On Monday, former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was benched by the Carolina Panthers after the first two games of the NFL season.
It was a move by first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales that, despite Young's struggles to start the season, brought some shock within the NFL, as the 5-foot-10 quarterback was taken No. 1 overall by Carolina just last year over the Texans' CJ Stroud.
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And according to ESPN's NFL draft analyst Mike Kiper, it's a decision that the Panthers have "mishandled" from top to bottom in the organization from the get-go.
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"When you drafted Bryce Young you (the Panthers) knew he was an outlier. Russell Wilson was bigger, taller but only 5-foot-10 and three-quarters. That opened it up for the 5-10 quarterback. But Russell Wilson was 205, 208 (pounds) coming out. Not 180 (like Young)," Kiper said Tuesday on ESPN's "Get Up" alongside Mike Greenberg.
"... You knew Bryce Young was not only short but small, diminutive quarterback who needed help, right? Everybody said he's got this great infrastructure in Carolina around him with the head coach, the coordinator, the quarterback coach, everything's there and everything's in place. And then you see him beat CJ Stroud on the field as a rookie."
Young went 1-9 following that win against Stroud last year and threw six interceptions. Kiper said if you remove the three-game interception game vs. the Colts last season he "had some decent games" in his rookie campaign last year.
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But amid all that, Stroud, who the Panthers decided to pass on at No. 1, was performing at a historic level that ended with him earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. A type of production that, to Kiper, set the Panthers in folding their hands and attempting to replicate with the hiring of Canales, who helped restore the career of Baker Mayfield in Tampa.
"You go into this year, you change everything because CJ Stroud's doing so well in Houston . We got to destroy this thing and start over," Kiper said. "So we bring in an offensive coach who was with Baker (Mayfield) and others, bring in a new pass game coordinator, new quarterback coach for Bryce Young.
"Then we don't play him in the preseason. We play him one series in the final preseason game against the AOGs, none of those guys are playing for Buffalo by the way. (Panthers) went one series down the field and they're (like) 'Rah rah. Great. We got it. We accomplished everything we wanted to.'"
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Young finished 6 of 8 passing for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Bills in his lone game, as Kiper noted. Traditionally when a team changes its entire offensive scheme with an entirely new offensive staff, like the Panthers did, that team likes to get its starters some snaps in the preseason, especially with a young quarterback. However, Young only played one drive in three preseason games, another situation where, according to Kiper, Carolina mishandled.
"I'll give you a little note. CJ Stroud played in two preseason games this year. Derek Carr played in two preseason games because why? (New Saints offensive coordinator) Klint Kubiak was coming in with a new offense and Derek Carr is a veteran and played in two preseason games.
"Bryce Young played one series of final preseason games against the nobodies on defense for the Buffalo Bills. Does that make sense to you, when two games in we're saying he can't play? Yes, his confidence was shattered, right? Yes, he does need to sit behind Andy Dalton for a little bit, but to blame this on Bryce Young is ridiculous. The blame here goes to the organization (and) the owner for a mishandling."
The decision by the Panthers to bench the second-year quarterback comes after Young finished 18 of 26 passing for 84 yards and an interception in Carolina's 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Young's 84 yards are tied for the fourth-fewest in team history with at least 25 pass attempts per ESPN.
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According to ESPN's Carolina Panthers reporter David Newton on Monday , Young "did not see" the move by Canales or the Panthers coming.
Young completed 31 of 56 (55.4%) passes and threw for 245 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns in the Panthers' first two games of the season.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Mel Kiper Jr. on Bryce Young benching: Blame is on Panthers, not QB
