“Everyone’s path is different,” Stroud said. “Maybe I had a good rookie year, and Bryce is going to have a great second year. Hopefully, I’ll do (that) too. But I told him, like, ‘You the one, bro. You the one for a reason.’ … And he’s not going to, but (I told him), ‘don’t ever look at yourself different, bro.’”
Stroud is right in that Young did not exactly have much help in Carolina this season, and the fact that he was sacked 62 times is clear evidence that his offensive line did not do a very good job of protecting him.
Regardless, the NFL is a results-based business, and if Bryce Young can’t get it together soon, the Panthers will continue to lament the fact that they did not select C.J. Stroud.
The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans had the first two picks of the 2023 NFL Draft last spring, and they took quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, respectively.
Now, the Panthers probably wish they could go back in time and change their pick.
While Young struggled mightily during his rookie campaign, Stroud was brilliant, posting phenomenal numbers and leading the Texans to an AFC South division title and a playoff win.
However, Stroud has spoken up in defense of his good friend, saying that you can’t possibly pin the issues solely on Young.
