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David Newton, ESPN Staff Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The New York Jets were the featured team on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for Saturday’s preseason game at Bank of America Stadium, but it was the Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, who bore the brunt of the hard-hitting action.
The number one overall draft pick suffered from brutal hits on two of his first three pass attempts and was sacked on his tenth and final play. The Panthers’ offensive line coach, James Campen, was so disappointed with their performance that he called for a private meeting with his group after head coach Frank Reich addressed the team.
Veteran tackle Cam Erving expressed the team’s frustration, stating, “The execution was simply inadequate. Regardless of whether it’s preseason or regular-season, the performance was subpar. Everybody, including myself, needs to take responsibility for this. We must regroup and address the issues.”
However, one positive takeaway was Young’s ability to withstand the hits, proving his durability despite concerns about his smaller stature. Each time he was knocked down, he quickly got back up.
The bigger concern for the Panthers, following their 27-0 loss to the Jets without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, was the performance of their offensive line. Supposed to be a strength, the unit allowed Young to be hit on three of his seven passing plays.
Erving commented, “We discovered that Young can handle hits, which wasn’t surprising, given his college background at Alabama. However, Young has been doing everything right, and we need to ensure better protection for him.”
Young suffered his hardest hit on his very first attempt, a brutal blindside shot by Jets’ edge rusher Solomon Thomas. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu struggled to contain Thomas, who executed an inside move.
Head coach Frank Reich waited until the start of the second half to ask the 22-year-old Young how he felt. Reich stated, “‘Well, that was a pretty good welcome to the NFL hit. How did that feel?’ Young responded, ‘It felt fine, I barely felt it.'”
Ekwonu was beaten again on Young’s second attempt, but the harshest blow came from Jermaine Johnson, who pushed the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner several yards back.
Young didn’t have a chance to throw on his final play as Quinton Jefferson outmatched guard Michael Jordan from the inside.
Young finished with a 4-of-6 completion rate for 21 yards in 10 plays. His toughest moments came on third down, where he failed to complete any passes.
Nevertheless, Young did not complain about the hits, acknowledging that contact is part of the game. Instead, he focused on moving forward and maintaining his resilience, which has been a standout characteristic during training camp.
Addressing concerns about his durability, Young stated, “I have no control over assumptions or others’ thoughts. I don’t waste my energy on that.”
Young displayed impressive traits by releasing the ball quickly and maintaining accuracy, exemplified by his first pass to Adam Thielen for a first down while being blindsided on second-and-8.
Reich did not commit to how much playing time Young will receive in the next two preseason games, as that decision will depend on how he performs in practice.
From Erving’s perspective, Young did everything expected of him on Saturday. “He displayed poise, living in the moment, and possessing a short-term memory. That’s all you can ask for from a quarterback. He processed everything correctly. However, as an offensive line, we need to improve.”
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