Carolina’s big two additions in free agency were both guards. The goal, apparently, is to give Bryce Young a chance at turning things around.
Young was the 2nd-most sacked quarterback last year. At 62 sacks in 16 games, that works out to almost 4 per week. Hence the decision to cut big checks for Robert Hunt (Miami) and Damien Lewis (Seattle). Combined, their salaries now average $33.25 million.
Carolina also hired Dave Canales as its head coach. When Canales was in Tampa Bay last year, he did a good job of working with another undersized and struggling quarterback (Baker Mayfield). Canales also worked with Russell Wilson in Seattle, so he’s got experience with shorter quarterbacks.
At the same time, Young definitely struggled last year, fantasy and otherwise. Carolina ranked last in offensive yards, and no team scored fewer points.
In the 32-team era, only 20 rookie quarterbacks selected in the first round have started at least half of their teams’ games and not ranked among the top-25 quarterbacks on a per-game basis. Young is now in that group.
STRUGGLING ROOKIE QUARTERBACKS | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | St | Pass | TDP | Int | Run | TDR | Pts | Rk |
2002 | David Carr, Hou. | 16 | 162 | .56 | .94 | 18 | .19 | 13.5 | 28 |
2002 | Joey Harrington, Det. | 12 | 187 | 1.00 | 1.33 | 0 | .00 | 13.4 | 29 |
2003 | Kyle Boller, Balt. | 9 | 139 | .78 | 1.00 | 7 | .00 | 11.6 | 31 |
2008 | Joe Flacco, Balt. | 16 | 186 | .88 | .75 | 11 | .13 | 14.8 | 26 |
2009 | Mark Sanchez, NYJ | 15 | 163 | .80 | 1.33 | 7 | .20 | 13.5 | 28 |
2011 | Blaine Gabbert, Jac. | 14 | 154 | .86 | .79 | 7 | .00 | 11.8 | 33 |
2012 | Brandon Weeden, Cle. | 15 | 226 | .93 | 1.13 | 7 | .00 | 15.8 | 27 |
2012 | Ryan Tannehill, Mia. | 16 | 206 | .75 | .81 | 13 | .13 | 15.6 | 28 |
2014 | Blake Bortles, Jac. | 13 | 207 | .69 | 1.15 | 30 | .00 | 16.2 | 27 |
2016 | Carson Wentz, Phil. | 16 | 236 | 1.00 | .88 | 9 | .13 | 17.8 | 27 |
2017 | Mitchell Trubisky, Chi. | 12 | 183 | .58 | .58 | 21 | .17 | 14.7 | 29 |
2018 | Sam Darnold, NYJ | 13 | 220 | 1.31 | 1.15 | 11 | .08 | 17.8 | 27 |
2018 | Josh Rosen, Ariz. | 13 | 172 | .85 | 1.00 | 10 | .00 | 13.1 | 32 |
2020 | Tua Tagovailoa, Mia. | 9 | 201 | 1.22 | .56 | 12 | .33 | 18.4 | 29 |
2021 | Mac Jones, N.E. | 17 | 224 | 1.29 | .76 | 8 | .00 | 17.1 | 26 |
2021 | Justin Fields, Chi. | 10 | 180 | .70 | .90 | 39 | .10 | 16.3 | 30 |
2021 | Trevor Lawrence, Jac. | 17 | 214 | .71 | 1.00 | 20 | .12 | 16.2 | 29 |
2021 | Zach Wilson, NYJ | 13 | 180 | .69 | .85 | 14 | .31 | 15.2 | 31 |
2022 | Kenny Pickett, Pitt. | 12 | 190 | .58 | .50 | 19 | .08 | 14.5 | 30 |
2023 | Bryce Young, Car. | 16 | 180 | .69 | .63 | 16 | .00 | 13.6 | 28 |
If we take those struggling quarterbacks and look at how they performed in their next season, only five (of 19) were able to rank higher than 20th. That group includes Trevor Lawrence (11th in 2022) and four quarterbacks who averaged top-10 numbers but who ultimately were dumped pretty quickly by the teams that selected them.
STRUGGLING ROOKIE QUARTERBACKS (2nd seasons) | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | St | Pass | TDP | Int | Run | TDR | Pts | Rk |
2003 | David Carr, Hou. | 11 | 181 | .82 | 1.09 | 11 | .18 | 14.5 | 26 |
2003 | Joey Harrington, Det. | 16 | 180 | 1.06 | 1.38 | 5 | .00 | 14.0 | 27 |
2004 | Kyle Boller, Balt. | 16 | 160 | .81 | .69 | 12 | .06 | 12.9 | 31 |
2009 | Joe Flacco, Balt. | 16 | 226 | 1.31 | .75 | 4 | .00 | 16.9 | 21 |
2010 | Mark Sanchez, NYJ | 16 | 206 | 1.06 | .81 | 7 | .19 | 16.4 | 23 |
2012 | Blaine Gabbert, Jac. | 10 | 166 | .90 | .60 | 6 | .00 | 12.9 | 31 |
2013 | Ryan Tannehill, Mia. | 16 | 245 | 1.50 | 1.06 | 15 | .06 | 20.1 | 20 |
2013 | Brandon Weeden, Cle. | 5 | 304 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 8 | .00 | 22.5 | -- |
2015 | • Blake Bortles, Jac. | 16 | 277 | 2.19 | 1.13 | 19 | .13 | 25.4 | 2 |
2017 | • Carson Wentz, Phil. | 13 | 254 | 2.54 | .54 | 23 | .00 | 25.7 | 2 |
2018 | • Mitchell Trubisky, Chi. | 14 | 230 | 1.71 | .86 | 30 | .21 | 23.2 | 10 |
2019 | Sam Darnold, NYJ | 13 | 233 | 1.46 | 1.00 | 5 | .15 | 19.3 | 26 |
2019 | Josh Rosen, Mia. | 3 | 155 | .33 | 1.00 | 4 | .00 | 9.5 | -- |
2021 | Tua Tagovailoa, Mia. | 12 | 208 | 1.33 | .83 | 11 | .17 | 17.8 | 22 |
2022 | • Justin Fields, Chi. | 15 | 149 | 1.13 | .73 | 76 | .53 | 23.0 | 6 |
2022 | • Trevor Lawrence, Jac. | 17 | 242 | 1.47 | .47 | 17 | .29 | 21.8 | 11 |
2022 | Mac Jones, N.E. | 14 | 214 | 1.00 | .79 | 7 | .07 | 16.0 | 28 |
2022 | Zach Wilson, NYJ | 9 | 188 | .67 | .78 | 11 | .11 | 13.8 | 31 |
2023 | Kenny Pickett, Pitt. | 12 | 173 | .50 | .33 | 5 | .08 | 11.6 | 29 |
2024 | Bryce Young, Car. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
—Ian Allan