There’s a lot of “new” in Charlotte this year. A new coaching staff. A new quarterback. A new playbook. With newness comes questions and sometimes doubt. The Panthers answered many of those questions and put some of the doubts to bed during this year’s training camp.
As I headed up 85 North, back to the comforts of the Queen City, I couldn’t help but think about what future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers said about Bryce Young – “Carolina is in good hands.” That’s quite a stamp of approval for the number one overall pick from one of the most respected in the game. And while Rodgers was answering a direct question about his impressions of Young, his assessment can be applied to more than QB1.
Coaching
Frank Reich assembled the Avengers of coaching staffs, with the perfect blend of old school mentality/experience and youthful vigor/innovation. Practices were intense and organized. Coaches were knowledgeable and involved. Players were engaged and enthused. Whether it was wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson padding up and throwing hits during wide receiver drills, or running backs coach Duece Staley talking junk while encouraging linebackers to give his unit all they have when practicing blitz pick-ups, things were different. This coaching staff pays attention to the details. They expect the best out of this team, and more importantly, they know what it takes to get it.
Leadership
Quarterback Bryce Young may be the leader of the offense, but Brian Burns is the leader of this team. As one of the most talented pass rushers in the league – who soon will be one of the highest paid at his position – Burns is fully coming into his role as team leader. It started with him deciding to show up to training camp, instead of holding out like his counterpart Nick Bosa. While I assume he and his agent are smartly waiting for Bosa’s mega deal to set the market for him and other pass rushers waiting on a deal, holding out to speed up the process is a common tactic players use to secure the bag. Burns showed up day one and every day there after ready for practice. For him, it’s bigger than his eventual pay day. He sees, and more importantly, believes in what is being built on Mint Street. While his play changes the game, his presence sets the tone. Whether it’s spending extra time mentoring fellow edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos or showing big brother love to Bryce Young, Burns is fully embracing his role as team leader.
B9
You can learn a lot about a team during joint practices, and while the Panthers’ time with the Jets was cut short by mother nature, Wednesday’s practice was enough to get a small glimpse of what could be a vast improvement on the offensive side of the ball.
The Jets’ defense had their moments, including a couple of sacks and interception by Bradin Echols, but for most of the 11-on-11 sessions the Panthers were able to move the ball against a New York defense that ranked in the top-five last season.
The Panthers’ first team offense set the tone with a Bryce Young completion to Jonathan Mingo and back to back rushes for roughly ten yards each. There were several chunk plays, including a 25 yard completion to DJ Chark and 30 yard completion on third down to Adam Thielen during the two-minute drill, where the Panthers were able to drive from their own 20 to the Jets’ 15 and score a FG before time ran out. Young finished the day completing roughly 14-22 of his passes.
Each practice we learned more about the number one overall pick. We learned that although he can’t sing, he’ll have the crowd rocking while passionately belting out Keysha Cole’s “Love” and he’s already familiarized himself with Bojangles’ Bo-Berry biscuit. But we’ve also learned he has led offensive meetings, is a student of the game and has quickly earned the respect of his teammates.
There’s no doubt that Bryce will have his “welcome to the NFL” moment. Some rookies never recover from it, others use it to fuel them. Bryce is the latter. Don’t let that sweet demeanor fool you, he has that dawg in him. Couple that with his drive and you have a lethal combination that will likely leave the Panthers in good hands for years to come.