Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
It took all of one practice to make it official in Carolina
It must have been one hell of a first practice.
Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers took the field Wednesday for the first practice of their training camp. Following the session, head coach Frank Reich made it clear. The rookie quarterback is the starter.
The Panthers made a shocking trade in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Draft, moving up from the ninth-overall selection to the top of the board. That move game the organization their choice of any player in the draft, but it was clear Carolina was targeting a quarterback.
Just who that quarterback was remained a mystery until the eve of the draft, when it became clear the organization had decided on the Alabama passer, and former Heisman trophy winner.
The decision is also a slightly belated birthday gift for the rookie quarterback, who turned 22 on Tuesday. As noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN, this puts him in line to be the youngest quarterback to begin the season under center for the Panthers, surpassing Cam Newton.
The quarterback who started the first-ever game for the Panthers?
The man who just named Young QB1:
Panthers’ rookie QB Bryce Young turns 22 years old today. He’s expected to become the youngest season-opening starting QB in Panthers’ history, edging Cam Newton in 2011. Panthers’ HC Frank Reich was 33 when he started the first-ever Carolina game in 1995.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2023
Expectations are high for Young in Carolina, given his skill-set as well as the coaching talent, and roster, the Panthers have put around him. But as we noted back in April, he made perfect sense for Carolina at the top of the draft.
