Former Carolina Panthers GM Marty Hurney: “I believe in Bryce Young; put the right people around him and they’ll win with him”
Key points
- Hurney believes that Bryce Young is the man to lead the Panthers: “I really liked the kid coming out and if you put the right people around him, you can win with Bryce Young.”
- On Dave Canales: “We’ve seen him become a pretty crafty play caller.”
- “Jonathon Brooks is going to be a really good back for them. He has the chance to be better than Rico Dowdle was last year. I think he’s better than Chuba Hubbard, too.”
*Marty Hurney watches on as Washington Commanders take on the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Credit: All-Pro Reels, Wikimedia Commons.
It would be easy to diminish the Carolina Panthers’ division title last year as a fluke, and a byproduct of a bad division.
There may be truth in that assessment, but it also might be a little too dismissive of the gains this long-suffering organization made – including much-maligned quarterback Bryce Young – and a future that appears brighter than it’s been in quite some time. The architect of that franchise’s last Super Bowl roster, longtime general manager Marty Hurney, is certainly in that latter camp.
Hurney believes the Panthers have turned a corner under young head Dave Canales (“they got a real coach there,” Hurney told me) and found real stability under owner David Tepper for the first time since he assumed control and he is backing them to back to the playoffs in a still-tepid NFC South, carried by Young and an offense that finally started unlocking more of a downfield passing game in the second half of last season.
“It’s only been two years, yeah,” Hurney said, “but in that short period of time we’ve seen Dave Canales become a pretty crafty offensive play caller and offensive coordinator and head coach and play designer.
“He has really gotten a feel for Bryce Young’s skillset and what he does best. I think Dave really believes in the quarterback, and I do too. You know I really liked the kid coming out and if you put the right people around him, you can win with Bryce Young.”
Young is never going to be the most strapping prospect. He lacks ideal size (5-foot-10) and he doesn’t have a rocket arm and his durability over time could be an issue given that physical package. But his decision-making has improved markedly since his rookie season, he’s cut down in his interceptions and the introduction of 2025 top pick Tet McMillan into the offense boosted Young’s development.
Young was just 6-22 his first two years but won eight games last season. He cut his sack rate in half from his rookie season, no longer clinging to the ball far too long, and raised his completion percentage to 64% (about league average) and cut his off target throws from 15% to 9%, and threw 23 touchdown passes, eight more than ever before.
Projecting him to continue to make such strides next year doesn’t seem too bold (he’s probably not throwing 30 TD passes, but you get the overall point).
“They need to continue to build the interior of the offensive line,” Hurney said. “I think the world of (Saints football exec) Jeff Ireland and (former head coach) Sean Payton, and I used to talk to those guys about Drew Brees and how they built their team with a smaller quarterback and how you open passing lanes for him and everything that goes into that.
“You have to be so stout up front to create those visual passing lanes and now adding this kid from Georgia (top pick, tackle Monroe Freeling), he fits Young perfectly.
“Not only is he tall and long, long arms, but if you watch this guy pass block in space, how he attacks, he can drive a guy back five yards and not lose his hands - that’s special. He has to increase his core strength, but he does have an anchor. That’s a great pick for them. He might end up being the best tackle in that draft.”
Hurney believes McMillan has the potential to be a true No. 1 wide receiver and Young will excel at finding him downfield more. “Bryce has great field vision when he gets out in space,” Hurney said, “and we’ve seen him extend plays more looking for that intermediate option first if it’s open, but he also has the ability to throw the deep ball.”
The Panthers have improved running the ball in recent years and Hurney expects that to continue again this season with an improved offensive line. Rico Dowdle is gone after making an impact last year, but Hurney expects a relative unknown to emerge this season.
“The kid they took out of Texas a few years ago, (Jonathon) Brooks, is going to be a really good back for them,” Hurney said. “He’s the one to keep an eye on. I think the kid has a chance to be a lot better than Dowdle was last year. I think he’s better than (veteran Panthers RB Chuba) Hubbard, too.”
Brooks is recovering from a second ACL tear – one in college and one in his rookie season in the NFL – but Hurney was very bullish on him making an impact. Regardless of the division of labor at running back, this offense must be balanced and explosive, because the defense is still at least one offseason away from being where it will need to be if the Panthers are going to contend outside the NFC South.
They aren’t going to win many games, 20-17, let’s put it that way. “It’s good enough to be a playoff defense if your offense can score enough points,” as Hurney put it. But they very well might score enough and win enough to get back to the playoffs, where they gave the Rams all they could handle a year ago, before falling late (they also beat the Super Bowl contending Rams in the regular season, with Young uncorking bigtime throws on fourth downs in that contest).
“The Saints will be their toughest competition,” Hurney said. “I really like (second-year QB Tyler) Shough and Kellen Moore, I was really interested to see what he would be like as a head coach, but gosh dang he did a great job and they’re a really well-run organization. They’re going to take another step up too this year and compete with Carolina.”