The Carolina Panthers made not only one, but two of this past spring’s potentially great acquisitions.
CBS Sports writer Cody Benjamin recently projected the top moves of the 2023 offseason. His second selection belonged to the draft’s first overall selection, quarterback Bryce Young:
It might seem hard to mess up the No. 1 pick in the draft, but plenty have done it before. This writer doesn’t think that’s the case in Carolina, where Young offers everything but prototypical size at QB. Will he have growing pains? Sure. But the Alabama product oozes veteran-level poise and should be a definitive step up from the trail of wreckage that was Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Cam Newton 2.0 by the time his rookie year gets well underway. A Year 1 playoff bid wouldn’t be crazy.
That’d be one heck of an immediate return for Carolina, whose opportunity to nab the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner didn’t come cheap. To surge atop the board, the Panthers sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks and star wideout DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears back on March 10.
But, at least Young came as part of a two-for-one special . . . kinda.
Benjamin’s next choice was the man who helped the organization get their guy—head coach Frank Reich:
He and Young are sort of a package deal here. While the QB would’ve been a worthwhile top pick even without Reich taking over the staff, the fact they’re working together makes Carolina all the more intriguing. Though he managed just a single playoff victory as the Colts’ head man from 2018 into 2022, Reich is as even-keeled as they come, making him an ideal mentor for the new signal-caller. He should have an ascending Panthers roster competitive right out of the gate.
With Young, Reich and an all-star supporting staff on the sideline, the Panthers may actually shock quite a few folks if they aren’t competitive right out of the gate. In fact, it might be less shocking if this package deal leads the team to their first division title in almost a decade.
