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Bryce Young throwing vs. pressure is all the proof you need he's ready to thrive in NFL

The Carolina Panthers' young quarterback was sensational throwing against pressure in the 2024 season.
Tim Weaver|
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) touchback as Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (95) and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) defend during the first quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars blanked the Carolina Panthers 26-0.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) touchback as Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (95) and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) defend during the first quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars blanked the Carolina Panthers 26-0. | [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

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Carolina Panthers

After returning from a six-week stint on the sidelines last season, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looked like a completely different competitor than the one we saw in his rookie year and in his first two atrocious starts in 2024.

Thee were a lot of technical things Young improved on, but above all else he appeared to be far more confident and calm in the pocket, which helped him finally unleash the talent that made him a No. 1 overall draft pick in the frist place. Young was especially impressive throwing against pressure, as this cut-up from Jacob Gibbs on Twitter shows.

Modern quarterbacks have to know how to play on schedule and go through their reads, but the ability to create plays outside of structure is becoming an increasingly indispensable part of competing at this level. Young of course thrived in this area during his time at Alabama - it just took a little while for it to shine through in the NFL.

Young's deep passing numbers were also remarkable - especially late in the season when he was hooking up with Adam Thielen for explosive gains on a regular basis. You can also see from the chart above that he was accurate on short throws when kept clean last season.

The next step for Young is developing his mid-range game - and that's a big reason why the Panthers brought in Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick. His size and ability to make contested catches should help boost Carolina's passing game in this department, which has been largely absent the last couiple of seasons.

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Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.