Dave Canales Reveals Surprising Best Thing for Bryce Young's Development

The modern NFL is built around the passing game. Having an elite QB is the way to have success, and while the Carolina Panthers don't have one of those, there is hope that Bryce Young can one day be elite.

It's not always the best QB that wins, but bad QBs don't win. The Seattle Seahawks just won the Super Bowl after missing the playoffs because, at least partially, they upgraded at QB to Sam Darnold.

How do the Panthers get Young to that level? Believe it or not, Dave Canales claims it's by having a strong running game.

Dave Canales says running the football will help Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) hands off the ball to running back Rico Dowdle | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Dave Canales committed the Panthers offense to the run last year. They hammered Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard all season long. Initially, this felt like an indictment of Canales' level of trust with Bryce Young.

However, according to the coach, it's not. A strong run game is apparently the best thing for a developing QB. It is what will help him get better more than anything else.

"The greatest thing you could do for a quarterback is to develop a consistent run game. Sounds crazy, but it's the truth," Canales told FOX Sports insider Henry McKenna.

Playing from behind a lot, throwing the ball at a high volume, and putting the quarterback in difficult spots on third and fourth down is avoidable by running the ball.

"You're exposing them," Canales added. "All of that stuff stunts development." So when Canales ran Dowdle and Hubbard into the ground, he wasn't distrusting of Young. He was, in his own way, looking out for him.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) hands off to running back Chuba Hubbard | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There are some reasons to think Canales is right here. Darnold was a great addition to the Seahawks in their title run, but they really had offensive success because of a very stout running game.

The Kansas City Chiefs got a very good season out of Patrick Mahomes, but he won six games because they just couldn't run the ball. The Panthers got to the playoffs because they ran the ball.

There's something to be said about letting a quarterback grow through those bad situations, but Young was almost assuredly stunted by his rookie season. That was a bad situation he couldn't throw his way out of, and it cost him a season of development.

The commitment to the run may cost Young some counting stats and prevent him from averaging 200 yards per game, but it might also help him in the long run.