The Harsh Welcome: No. 1 Draft Pick Bryce Young Faces Tough NFL Debut

David NewtonAug 13, 2023, 01:00Reading: 3 min.

The No. 1 draft pick got a harsh welcome in the NFL

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Los New York Jets was the team featured in “Hard Knocks” of HBO for Saturday’s preseason game at Bank of America Stadium, but he was the rookie quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young, who received the hard blows.

The first pick in the draft was shut down on two of his first three pass attempts and sacked on his 10th and final play.

It was so bad that the offensive line coach James Campen summoned his group to a private meeting after the head coach Frank Reich went to his players to let them know that this was not an acceptable standard.

Bryce Young was roughed up by the Jets in his first NFL preseason game.Getty

“We had to make it real,” the veteran tackle said. Cam Erving. “It wasn’t good enough. Top to bottom, it doesn’t matter if it’s preseason, regular season, it wasn’t good enough. Any level, from any position, including myself, especially me.”

“All we can do is try to regroup and fix it.”

the best thing he did Bryce Young was to ease predraft concerns about toughness due to his 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame. Every time he was knocked down, he bounced back.

The biggest concern for Panthers after a 27-0 loss to a quarterback-less Jets team Aaron Rodgers, was the offensive line. A unit that was supposed to be a strength was exposed when Young was hit on three of seven passing plays.

“We found out that he can receive,” Erving said. “I mean, that wasn’t really a surprise coming from where he played in college. [Alabama]. But that kid has been doing everything the right way, and we have to make sure we do a better job of protecting him.”

The greatest success occurred on the first attempt at Bryce Younga ferocious blow to the side of the defensive end of the Jets, Solomon Thomaswho beat left tackle Ikem Ekwonu with an inside move on the first try.

Reich waited until the start of the second half to ask his 22-year-old star how he was doing.

“‘Well, that was a very nice welcome to the NFL. How did she feel?’ Reich asked Young. “He said he felt fine, he just felt it.”

Ekwonu was defeated again on Young’s second attempt, but the big blow came from the inside with Jermaine Johnsonwho sent the winner of the Trophy Heisman 2021 several yards back.

Bryce Young never got out of the pass on his last play when Quinton Jefferson beat the escort Michael Jordan inside.

He was 4 of 6 for 21 yards in 10 plays. His worst attempts came on third down, where he trailed 2-0 on two uncatchable passes.

But he never complained about the blows accepting that “that’s part of football” and the only thing he can do is move on to the next play, which has been one of his strengths in camp.

“I feel good,” he said Young. “Physically, I’m blessed and I don’t have any injuries.”

As for the critics who worry about its harshness, Young he stressed: “Whatever people might assume or think is going on, I don’t control it. That’s what it is. That’s not something I ever thought about.”

Young did some good things. He got rid of the ball quickly and was accurate, even on his first pass that went to Adam Thielen for a first try on second and 8 while he was surprised.

“But certainly, I don’t want to see the pressure we had,” Reich reiterated.

Reich wouldn’t commit to how much Young could play in the next two preseason games, saying a lot of that would depend on how things pan out in practice.

From the point of view of Erving, Young it did everything it was supposed to do.

“Aplomb, man. The boy has poise, ”he acknowledged. “Live the moment. That’s all you can ask of a quarterback. He has short term memory. He did everything he was supposed to do. He processed everything ”.

“But we as an offensive line have to do better.”

2023-08-13 04:32:17
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