Matt Leinart explains how Carolina failed to properly develop Bryce Young
Former NFL quarterback thinks it's clear what the future holds for former number 1 overall pick, , in the wake of the ' surprising decision to bench him for their upcoming game.
"This organization did him no favors. I think his time in Carolina is probably done," Leinart said on the most recent episode of .
Leinart is well-positioned to speak on Young's current situation, as both quarterbacks won Heisman Trophies in college, both were selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, and both walked into organizations that were in a state of flux.
While both quarterbacks started as rookies, Leinart's first game as QB1 didn't arrive until week 5, whereas Young found himself lining up under center right out of the gate in Week 1 of 2023. But, Leinart said, this is only one of several ways in which Carolina set Young up for failure.
"It drives me crazy the need and the desire to throw these kids out there," he said. "In [Young's] instance, like, you don't have a supporting cast. You have a terrible offensive line. You have a new system. He needs all the reps he can get. I throw him there in preseason, get him all the reps, get him hit a little bit, and just get a feel for the system.
"I think this was an organizational failure by the . I really believe that."
Young went on to start 16 games his rookie year, finishing with a 2-14 record and a league worst 73.7 quarterback rating. The first two weeks of Young's 2024 campaign failed to provide any noticeable signs of growth, prompting head coach to replace the second-year man with 36-year-old veteran, .
While it may be easy to point the finger at Carolina for being the cause of Young's struggles, Leinart maintains that for many up-and-coming QB's, the issues in their development begin well before they ever sign their first professional contract.
"These players aren't developed anymore at the collegiate level," Leinart said. "When you're watching a game, how much do you see the quarterback look to the sideline for a play? All the time, right? All the time. There's no such thing as a huddle anymore. There's very few offenses that require a quarterback to have to get into checks and reads and progress and all of these things. It just doesn't happen to the point where you need it to happen in the NFL. A lot of these coaches are calling plays from the side so it's just a long list of things in my opinion. I hate it."
The host opened up on his own career struggles, suggesting that a late season injury in year one, followed by a change at head coach marked the beginning of his problems in Arizona.
"We had a new coach - just hated me from the get-go and whatever. Like, he just didn't like me... And that was like the start of it to me," Leinart said.
"I didn't help myself in some areas... and again learning a new system when I'm a rookie. Learning the first one - Denny [Green's] system was completely different than that system they were running in with Big at the time and then, you know, trying to learn that [and] getting back from injury."
A broken collarbone compounded Leinart's second season struggles and handed the starting reigns back to future hall of famer . But the former star is quick to point out that while this may have been his experience in the NFL, there is reason to believe that Bryce Young can bounce back.
"Look at . Look at ! Baker led to a playoff berth a couple years ago, doesn't work out, goes to Carolina for a cup of coffee, doesn't work out," Leinart said. Now, Mayfield is in , having signed a three-year deal worth up to up to $115 million, according to nfl.com.
"Bench him. Don't play him anymore. Let this kid learn, develop," Leinart said of how Young can move forward. "Andy Dalton's a great person to learn from. Get out of there and go get a reboot."
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