Bryce Young focused on showing NFL mindset, sets rookie expectations

Bryce Young is set for a massive debut campaign. On Friday, the Carolina Panthers quarterback discussed his expectations for the upcoming season.

“There’s going to be ups and downs,” Young told CBS analyst and former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan. “I think that just having that sense of wanting to be better, that sense of accountability, the willingness to grow and learning on everyone else throughout the season — I think that’s really what I’m focused on.”

Young was impressive in his limited time on Friday night. The former Alabama standout threw 7/12 for 73 yards and a touchdown, his first of the NFL preseason. Young finished the contest with a fantastic 103.8 QB rating.

Quick math: Bryce Young + Adam Thielen = 6️⃣

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In his previous two preseason outings, Young tallied five series, recording seven completions for 66 yards. While Young didn’t receive a surplus of snaps in the preseason, he trusts his coaches’ decision-making.

“This is by design,” Young said earlier this week. “I trust the coaches whole-heartedly and their approach, what they’re doing with playcalling, everything. It is new to me. I’ve never played in a preseason game. There are scrimmages in high school, I guess. But, I’ve never played a game where the stars aren’t playing most of the game.

“Our coaching staff, they’ve been here for years and had a ton of success. I have all the respect in the world for them. They don’t wake up just the day before the game and try to figure [things] out. They have a reason. They have a plan and, whatever that is, I don’t question it. I just go in and try to execute. I know everything happens for a reason.”

Bryce Young receives praise from his teammates

Young’s lack of playing time isn’t due to the Panthers’ coaching staff’s lack of faith. The organization has already named Young the team’s starting quarterback. In fact, the 5-foot-10 QB has received nothing but rave reviews from his fellow Panthers.

“His pocket presence is second-to-none,” Carolina Panthers second-year left tackle Ikem Ekwonwu said. “The fact that he can sense where the pressure is coming from, sense that he needs to drop back or step up in the pocket, it really helps out the offense a lot.”

Ekwonwu isn’t the only one who’s praised the rookie talent.

“Sometimes it can be easy in this time of the year, when you’re not getting hit, no pads on, nothing like that, to just sit there and no fear and just throw it around,” wide receiver Adam Thielen said in June. “But, you can tell [Young] practices like it’s a game. And, I’ve always been a firm believer that when you do that it makes the games a lot easier, and that’s been really impressive.”

Fans will soon see just how impressive Young really is. On Sept. 10, the Carolina Panthers will take on the Atlanta Falcons in their season opener.