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Bryce Young was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. This obviously made him one of the most intriguing rookies ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The former Heisman Trophy winner for the Alabama Crimson Tide was one of the best college football players in the country, so fans were eager to see how his game would translate to the NFL.
Young's highly-anticipated debut was in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason against the New York Jets. His first appearance failed to live up to the hype, though it was just an exhibition. The Jets dominated the game, winning by a commanding 27-0 score.
NFL analyst Peter Schrager had this explanation of Young's debut during a recent episode of Good Morning Football:
"We are all in on Rodgers, and there's so much about this Jets offense and what it's going to be. And then the Jets are all out the 78 Steelers on defense. And I think if there's anything we're not talking about, it's the defensive line depth with the New York Jets. And as much as we're talking Jets as a potential playoff team, I don't think we realized just how dominant the Jets defense can be, if they all put it together.
"This was against the Carolina Panthers starters, against Bryce Young, and he could not breathe in his NFL debut because the Jets defense was all over him. ... They are a unit and I really was impressed with how they just ruined Bryce Young's NFL debut."
According to Peter Schrager, Bryce Young's disappointing performance was much more about the Jets' defensive dominance than his own personal struggles. The Jets' defensive front recorded five sacks during the game, in addition to pressuring the opposing quarterbacks all game long.
Head coach Robert Saleh, a former defensive coordinator, is known for applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks. He was likely extremely satisfied with his team's performance. It resulted in holding the highly-rated rookie quarterback to just 21 passing yards on six total attempts.
Bryce Young outshined by Zach Wilson in 2023 NFL preseason Week 1
With Aaron Rodgers sitting out Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason, it was Bryce Young that fans were most excited to see in the Carolina Panthers' game against the New York Jets. To the surprise of many, it was Zach Wilson who stole the show as the best quarterback on the field.
Wilson completed 14 of his 20 passing attempts for 123 yards and a touchdown. Maybe even more concerning is that Young ended up being the fourth-best quarterback to appear in the game. Jets' Tim Boyle threw for 84 yards and two touchdowns, while Panthers' Matt Corral threw for 126 yards.
