CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 04: Head coach Dave Canales of the Carolina Panthers speaks with the media during a press conference at Carolina Panthers OTA Offseason Workout on June 04, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
In his second year, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales aims to have QB Bryce Young release the ball faster
First-year Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has been stressing to Bryce Young all offseason that he needs to get rid of the ball quickly or move out of the pocket and extend the play if nothing is open.
This will require fast decision-making from Young, who had one of the slowest release times in the league last year.
Canales believes this approach will play to Young’s strengths and help him improve after a tough rookie season where he had a 2-14 record as a starter, threw for less than 180 yards per game, and had almost as many interceptions (10) as touchdown passes (11).
“For our concepts, if you kind of get more specific to what we’re trying to do, the ball gets to the checkdown in about 2.7, definitely under 3,” Canales said at the NFL combine. “Bryce better be really moving towards the line of scrimmage, ready to take off, checking it down.”
Canales thinks that 2.7 seconds is enough time for Young to go through his first two reads and his checkdown.
Some plays, especially those involving play action and deep throws, might take longer. However, as a general rule, the Panthers want Young to operate with a sense of urgency.
This is partly to prevent a repeat of 2023, when Young, the No. 1 overall pick, was sacked 62 times in 16 games—almost four times per game.
Several factors contributed to this. Sometimes Young held on to the ball too long. Other times, receivers didn’t get open because they couldn’t break press coverage or their routes were slow to develop. Most often, it was the offensive line not protecting Young.
To help Young, the Panthers made changes to the team by bringing in new players.
New general manager Dan Morgan spent a total of $150 million on free-agent guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, traded for veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson, and picked wide receiver Xavier Legette with the 32nd pick in the first round of the draft.
Veteran Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen thinks that Canales’ fast-paced approach, which helped Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay achieve 4,000-yard passing seasons, is a great fit for Young’s style.
Thielen describes Young as a “quick processor.” “Bryce has the ability to read the coverage, get the ball out, and find guys and give them an opportunity to make plays fast,” Thielen said.
“He has that unique ability to know where to go with the ball. I think this, being his second year, he has been able to slow down and be confident in our offensive line and confident in the playmakers around him. He isn’t trying to put everything on his own shoulders.”
