Panthers' O-line takes blame for Bryce Young's struggles - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The New York Jets were the featured team on HBO's «Hard Knocks'' for Saturday's preseason game at Bank of America Stadium, but it was Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young who took the hard knocks.

The top pick of the draft was hammered on two of his first three pass attempts and sacked on his 10th and final play.

It was so bad that offensive line coach James Campen called his group together for a private meeting after head coach Frank Reich addressed his players to let them know that wasn't an acceptable standard.

»We had to keep it real with each other,'' veteran tackle Cam Erving said. «The s--- wasn't good enough. Top to bottom, no matter if it's preseason, regular season, the s--- was not good enough. Any level, from any position, myself included, especially my f---ing self.

»All we can do is try to regroup and fix it.''

The best thing Young did was ease pre-draft concerns of durability because of his 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame. Each time he was knocked down, he bounced right back up.

The bigger concern for the Panthers after the 27-0 loss to a Jets team that didn't play quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the offensive line. A unit that was supposed to be a strength was exposed as Young was hit on three of seven pass plays.

«We found out he can take a hit,'' Erving said. „I mean, that wasn't really a surprise coming from where he played college ball [Alabama]. But that kid has been doing everything the right way, and we have to make sure we do a better job of protecting him.''

The biggest hit came on Young's first attempt, a vicious blindside shot by Jets edge rusher Solomon Thomas, who beat left tackle Ikem Ekwonu with an inside move on the first attempt.

Reich waited until the start of the