![Steve Smith Sr. looks on before a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on September 14, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.](https://www.thecoldwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Steve-Smith-Sr.-on-tv-1024x683.jpg)
Quarterback Bryce Younger was the No. 1 choose in final 12 months’s NFL draft, and regardless of his modest stature, the consensus was that he was one of the best prospect out there that 12 months.
Sadly, he struggled mightily as a rookie, and so did his Carolina Panthers, who completed with the league’s worst document.
Former NFL star and present NFL Community analyst Steve Smith Sr. stated that he attributes Younger’s struggles extra to his state of affairs in Carolina than his personal shortcomings, per RG3 and The Ones.
“On the finish of the day a wise child can look dumb if he’s round quite a lot of dumb individuals,” Smith stated.
Fixing Bryce Younger begins with fixing the fellows round him. pic.twitter.com/YpBUDzO4J2
— RG3 and The Ones (@rg3andtheones) March 22, 2024
Younger threw for two,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions whereas finishing simply 59.8 p.c of his go makes an attempt in 2023, regardless of placing up prolific numbers in his final two seasons on the College of Alabama.
However it is rather vital for rookie quarterbacks to not solely have reliable ability gamers however to even be in a steady state of affairs the place they’ve the precise teaching workers.
One’s improvement in life, whether or not she or he is an athlete or not, is closely depending on the individuals round her or him, and the state of affairs in Carolina wasn’t precisely essentially the most conducive to his success.
Head coach Frank Reich bought fired after 11 video games, and the staff had an general lack of viable ability gamers, aside from broad receiver Adam Thielen.
Apart from Thielen, nobody on the Panthers reached 50 receptions or 600 receiving yards, and so they ended up rating final in passing yards.
What made the state of affairs appear even worse was the truth that QB C.J. Stroud, who went at choose No. 2 to the Houston Texans, had a whale of a 12 months whereas main the Texans to a divisional-round playoff look.
However Smith nonetheless appears bought on Younger’s potential, as he famous that Younger’s processing velocity is quicker than that of Stroud, and that’s one thing that merely can’t be taught.
NEXT:
Panthers Are Signing Former Bengals Security