The Carolina Panthers braintrust knew what they were getting in Bryce Young. But that may not have been the case for many of his new teammates.
Wide receiver Adam Thielen joined The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday and spoke about where the Panthers stand as we head into the summer. Young, of course, came up in the conversation—and the 10-year veteran said the rookie quarterback was probably more than what some of his peers thought he’d be to this point.
“You just never know what’s gonna happen,” Thielen said of this year’s No. 1 selection. “Obviously, you know—first overall pick with all the hype and all that. You know there’s gonna be a lot of potential and you know he’s gonna have a lot of talent. But I think he just kinda surprised a lot of guys of how prepared he was for the NFL game.
“And I think sometimes it’s hard on those moments—because you’re in shorts and t-shirt, right? So you don’t wanna too excited about, whether that’s your team or individually, you don’t wanna get too excited in the summer because it’s a different game when you put pads on. At the same time, the way he moves in the pocket, the way that he adjusts and can get the ball out on time and accurate and he can make adjustments—it’s impressive.”
The 32-year-old pass catcher wasn’t the only notable veteran who has praised Young for his early work. Outside linebacker Brian Burns and cornerback Donte Jackson also gave reporters some stunning reviews of the new guy during last week’s mandatory minicamp.
Next up for the Panthers, after a six-week break, is training camp—something Thielen is already looking forward to because of his quarterback.
“It gets you excited to get back workin’ together and to really try start gaining ground,” he added of eventually reuniting with Young. “More reps you get, the more confidence you get. And he’s a confident guy, which is exciting to be around.”
