We got several great and deep questions in this week’s fan mailbag! Come check out the answers to YOUR questions!
Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! Your questions this week came in spades, with many requiring a lengthy response. I am very pleased with the participation!
To recap, Brian Answers is the response to part one, Brian Asks, early on in the week, where you can comment with your questions and get some answers right here from the CSR staff! Let’s dive in to this week’s batch of questions!
SwampPanther: Is Bryce’s deep ball inaccuracy fixable? if so how?
In theory, yes the deep ball issues are fixable. We’ve seen him deliver some pretty balls down the field in recent weeks. However, when he misses, its often a bad miss. That is a result of a few things, but the biggest issue seems to be his footwork. JT O’Sullivan has continued to call out his footwork on his Youtube channel, and many times it has to do with his back foot. Bryce has a tendency to play on his tiptoes, and that causes a lot of problems when he’s rearing up to uncork a deep ball. So is it fixable? Yes, absolutely. Do I think you can get a QB like Bryce to completely alter his throwing motion after years of throwing this way? Not sure, but the solution is there.
TLGPanthersFan: Is Bryce Young Him or is he on his way to being Him?
If he never becomes Him could he at least be him in the short term till we find Him?
Bryce has taken some significant steps forward, to the point that he’s actively gotten the Panthers into position to win football games over the last two weeks. I don’t think I’d call him a top 10 or even 15 QB as of yet, but these performances are showing us why teams valued him so highly during the Draft process. If this level of play sustains, he might just be Him. But I’m not gonna crown his *** just yet.
KeepPounding88: How long before we see some of the old Bryce? Even the best QBs have their bad moments, so I feel like it’s just a matter of time before we see some natural regression.
If Bryce doesn’t show some moments of the “old Bryce” this week, I would be absolutely shocked. He performed well against a reeling Chiefs team, and he capitalized against a Buccaneers game plan that forced Carolina to throw the ball more than they would normally game plan for. This week, the Eagles are surging, and have a defense that can execute the game plan the Bucs wanted to run but didn’t necessarily have the personnel to against a Bryce Young offense where Bryce is playing at this current level. The Eagles are going to make running the ball difficult, they are going to play tight pass coverage, and they are almost certainly going to get pass rush on him. You could view this offensive line as a top 5 unit and I’d still expect the Eagles to be vastly superior. That’s just how deep this front seven is with top end talent. If Bryce manages almost 300 yards and another strong performance, Panthers fans should be extremely excited for Bryce’s future, because that’s not in the cards for most QBs that go against this Eagles defense.
GooseCreek: Do you think Tepper should invest in providing Bryce with custom cleats with 2 inch lifts?
I don’t normally entertain the “Bryce Young is short” joke questions, but this one was pretty funny and Bryce has actually been good recently, so I’ll allow it.
While in theory, giving Bryce a two inch height boost would make sense, he’ll probably struggle with his tippy toe throwing style in lifts TBH.
Randallpink11: Now that Bryce Young is wearing a helmet during the games again, and playing well…is someone going to address his “Helmet Head” for post game interviews.
I bring the important questions, Brain!
That helmet head is the evidence of the Galaxy brain trying to explode out of his skull and helmet. Just let the man cook in peace!
schrodingersblackcat: How much longer can Adam Thielen defy Father Time? That one handed grab at the end of the game is one of the most impressive catches I’ve seen by someone wearing a Panthers jersey. He’s on a mission to prove he can remain relevant through the end of his contract in Carolina.
What off season moves do you see us making at WR? And what role will Thielen play in this offense in 2025?
Thielen is the kind of wide receiver that could probably go another 2-3 years if his health doesn’t betray him. He has great route running technique and a lot of veteran savvy, and his ability to make a play in clutch moments is something this offense really needs. Xavier Legette, JT Sanders, and Jalen Coker have all been great, but what they all lack is that experience to simply do what is necessary to make the play in clutch moments in the NFL. I would welcome Thielen back in 2025 as a Jerricho Cotchery type chain mover.
I could absolutely see them drafting a wide receiver high or signing an upper tier free agent, and they may actually be able to get one now that the offense is putting on solid game tape. They may not have to pay the shitty team tax this off-season as much as last.
Bruce Guild: Take away all the obvious issues that Bryce has or has overcome these past 2 seasons, does Bryce Young give you confidence with the ball in his hand when the team needs a score in the closing minutes?
Even with the challenges this team has from a personnel standpoint last year and even somewhat this year, it seems to me BY stays calm in these big moments and consistently produces drives at the end of games that are close. He seems unnerved and delivers under that pressure.
He does give me confidence that he can deliver in the big moment/closing moments, when a play has to be made. He’s not turtling up anymore as much as he used to, but he still makes smart decisions when a play isn’t there. He’s seemed to find that healthy medium between too much risk taking and being too careful not to make a mistake. The calmness is something we knew about coming from college, I’m glad to see he’s found it again. I don’t expect him to be delivering multiple scores to come back from a 14 point deficit with 4 minutes left any time soon, but I think if the team can continue to keep games close up until the end, we can reasonably expect Bryce to be able to punch it in most of the time.
@WTMealey: How much of the first two games of this season abysmal performances related to Canales being conservative with what he called for Bryce?
How much was Bryce unfamilarity with the system? As well as WR unfamilar with system
How much was Bryce “learning” while on the bench and how much was him deciding when he got the chance he was going to play with more aggressive choices?
I know you might not know the answers, but would still love some speculation
Lastly do you agree that Bryce can be Eli-esque?
- I think it goes both ways. Canales didn’t call a ton of easy passes in that first game for Bryce to start, and in a new system generally getting your QB into a rhythm takes some time and successful plays. I do think Bryce also needed some time to gel with the system, as many fans rightly criticized the team for not getting more reps with the first team offense in the preseason (I will admit I did not feel that way and I turned out to be wrong).
- I do think a lot of what we’re seeing now was Bryce getting the sudden shock that your time in the NFL is finite, and you can make it shorter if you don’t get your act together quickly. I’m sure watching Dalton execute the offense helped a bit, but this version of Bryce is definitely different and you can see it in his demeanor every snap.
- I don’t know if he can be “Eli-esque” because they are very different players. But I could see Bryce taking some talented rosters pretty far if the team can surround him with great talent like Eli did.
bolshy: What do you think of Canales play calling?
It has been a bit pass heavier than I would have liked, but he’s definitely showing creativity and he’s scheming guys open. I’m happy with him right now, but I think next season we should be seeing more running plays if Chuba Hubbard and Jonathan Brooks both get into the season fully healthy.
facepalmjedi: What can we expect from Brooks for the rest of the season; more situational like they used him with the Buccs or will his touches increase to a more even split with Chuba?
I think his snap % will continue to increase, but after paying Chuba that extension, it should be his show for the most part the rest of this season.
CrustaceanNationBigO: What’s the price of a dozen eggs and a pound of salami?
And which Panther is worthy so far of a spot in the Pro Bowl?
I’d say over 9000.
And at the moment, I would think Chuba Hubbard and Robert Hunt. Maybe Jaycee Horn could be in the conversation as well.
DannyLimes: with one of the worst rush defences in the league about to walk into the Saquon buzzsaw it’s going to be real challenge for Canales to avoid a similar script to last weekend, with Bryce throwing the ball a tonne and us probably not running enough. With that in mind list the top 4 receivers by targets this week. If you nail it I shall celebrate every post you make that I see with a gif agreeing, even if it’s something stupid for the rest of the season.
- Xavier Legette
- Adam Thielen
- JT Sanders
- Jonathan Brooks
TXPanther: Are you calling your shot for a win against the Eagles or does the impending 400 yard game from Saquan give you pause?
- Have the Young naysayers started to actually cheer when he does well on play or do they say “CJ woulda done it better” after each one?
- Do you see us having a new Kicker and Punter next season or will Morgan choose to keep one or both?
- Should the Panthers try and sign Stefon Diggs in the offseason?
- What’s your least favorite Christmas snack?
- I am not calling my shot this week. I did feel the Panthers could give the Chiefs a run for their money just based on roster matchups early in the preseason. I do not feel this way against the Eagles.
- I think everyone is happy Bryce is playing well now. It helps that Stroud has come back to Earth a little bit.
- They may opt to move on from Hekker, but unless Pineiro wants stupid money for a kicker I see no real reason to move on.
- I’m not the biggest fan of that move. I think Diggs will want to go to a contender, and I don’t expect Carolina to be shaping up to look like one before the free agency period starts.
- Candy Canes are awful.
Vehemyth: If Shavon Revel Jr. is still sitting there in the 2nd round, do you pull the trigger?
- What 3 positions do you think we should prioritize our draft and FA resources on?
- What would you choose to be the theme song for the Panthers this year?
- Is it possible we can find XL some of the stickum they used in The Replacements?
- I don’t know enough about him to form an opinion, but I am game for any DB in the top 3 rounds.
- I would say DL, safety, and WR. Though I think continuing to build the offensive line would also make sense.
WakeToPanthers: Are you really glad we got rid of Dionte for what we got considering the Ravens are suspending him for conduct detrimental to the team?
In the end, the Panthers were going to move on from Donte Jackson one way or another. So in the end, the trade turned out to be a net positive rather than cutting him. I am glad they got something for Diontae, and I think this happening also demonstrates why his trade market was so slim back before the trade deadline for the Panthers.
RebuildingSince95: Do you think our 2025 draft strategy will be to pick the best available player or to draft for specific team needs?
How many Dawgs will we draft?
In a vacuum, I think most fans would say BPA is the way every team should go. And the Panthers were heavily criticized initially for seemingly moving around to get “their guys” in this draft. However, so far that strategy seems to have worked for this roster. Xavier Legette has been good but needs some improvement, Brooks is kind of still an up in the air pick, Trevin Wallace has improved every week since taking over as a starter, and Ja’Tavion Sanders is likely the number one receiving tight end next season. While we can always compare those picks to other players drafted around them, overall the Panthers seem to have done well for themselves in the 2024 Draft, and I wouldn’t be shocked if we see a similar strategy in 2025 as far as moving up and down for “their guys”.
If we can get 5 in the draft, I will be happy.
That’s all this week, Panthers fans! KEEP POUNDING!