Initial Thoughts: Panthers Start Hot, Fizzle Out in Miami
The Panthers (0-5) headed to Miami to take on the Dolphins (4-1) in Week 6. Despite coming in as heavy underdogs, Carolina jumped out to an early 14-0 lead through the first quarter. The following three quarters were all Miami though, outscoring the Panthers 42-7 the rest of the way. Here are some initial thoughts following the game:
Bryce Young is still improving
Every week this column has stated that the sky is indeed not falling, Bryce Young is a rookie who is getting better, and patience is good thing.
This week is no different. Young led the Panthers to 138 yards on the opening two drives for the offense en route to garnering a 14-0 lead. Adam Thielen's connection with the rookie QB continued to shine, and the running game even got going a bit.
Things fizzled from there as the team totaled only 158 yards for the rest of the game and Young added another interception to his season total. That's okay though!
Young's grasp of the offense at hand is clearly improving. The physical and mental talent are shining a little brighter each week, and there's no reason that trend won't continue.
Carolina is heading into a bye before a matchup against fellow rookie and second overall pick C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. Rookie improvements following their bye weeks are well noted, so Young will have an awesome opportunity to be well prepared for the showdown.
The rumored trades should definitely be explored
Veteran players such as Brian Burns, Donte Jackson, Jeremy Chinn, and Terrace Marshall Jr. have all been rumored to be potentially available for in-season trade, and that's a good thing.
The Panthers are currently trying to strike the balance between building a winning franchise by improving the current roster, while also not hampering future potential while doing so.
Trading some key veterans for a return should absolutely be on the table. Now is the time for the front office to be active and aggressive.
Splitting hairs for players who may not be on the roster when the team is ready to compete cannot be as high of a priority as making sure there are plenty of assets to inject into the roster when the time is right.
Winning is not the priority, improvement and tone-setting are. The front office should seize the opportunity to go all-in on that mindset.
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