Young excited about Panthers' 'new pieces'
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is eager to work with the team's newest additions on offense as he prepares for his second season.
"I'm really excited to have some new pieces," Young said Monday. "Now it's on us to put the work in, to build the chemistry, to get the reps on the field and to make it translate. I'm grateful the guys are coming in. They all have really good work ethics, great attitudes, great outlooks. We all want the same thing. We all want to win. ...
"It's always good to just have new juice (and) have different juice. Now it's on us to do the work to make it translate."
The 2023 first overall pick struggled in his debut campaign, passing for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions with a 59.8% completion rate. Carolina finished with a league-low 2-15 record.
Carolina traded its 2024 first overall pick to select Young and is attempting to improve the roster around the 22-year-old to help spur his development.
The Panthers restructured the interior of the offensive line by signing Robert Hunt, Austin Corbett, and Damien Lewis in free agency. The pass-catching group added a veteran presence in Diontae Johnson via a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers and brought Ihmir Smith-Marsette back to Carolina. Rookie receiver Xavier Legette could also be a factor this season.
After a revolving door at head coach in recent years, Dave Canales will make his head coaching debut and is tasked with helping Young grow into a franchise quarterback. Canales praised Young's ability to pick up the new playbook and credited his accuracy during workouts.
Young's rookie production was a far cry from what many projected after he declared for the draft. The Alabama product threw for 8,356 yards and accounted for 87 total touchdowns at the college level. He was awarded the Heisman Trophy after racking up 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a 167.5 passer rating in 2021.
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