Analysis: Carolina's decision to draft Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud requires accountability

Updated Sep. 17, 2024 6:07 p.m. ET

Associated Press

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Drafting Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud is even more disastrous for Carolina now that the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner has been benched just two games into his second season.

It may end up being one of the worst draft decisions in NFL history.

Stroud went No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans last year, led them from worst to first in the AFC South and a playoff victory, earning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He’s helped the Texans to a 2-0 start this season.

Meanwhile, first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales is turning to veteran Andy Dalton after Young looked dreadful in the first two games. Young is 2-16 as a starter and faces an uncertain future in Carolina.

The decision to select Young over Stroud demands accountability.

The Panthers already fired coach Frank Reich after a 1-10 start in his first season with the team last year and dismissed general manager Scott Fitterer following the completion of a 2-15 season.

But there’s strong thought around the league that owner David Tepper preferred Young and heavily influenced the decision to draft him over Stroud.

If so, that would be the ultimate example of why owners should leave football decisions to the executives they hired to make them.

Hip-drop or not

NFL team owners in March unanimously approved a rule that bans players from using a swivel technique to tackle an opponent. A violation results in a 15-yard penalty and could lead to fines for players. Two players were penalized for the tackle in Week 1.

There were two instances where the call wasn’t made on Sunday that left players angry.

Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase received an unsportsmanlike penalty for yelling at officials after no flag was thrown when Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie grabbed his facemask and brought him down on a tackle that could’ve warranted hip-drop consideration.

On Sunday night, Texans running back Joe Mixon was injured when Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards dragged him down from behind. Mixon returned to the game but only ran one more time.

“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason,” Mixon wrote on X after the game ended. “Time to put your money where your mouth is.”

Also, Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp sustained an ankle injury that is expected to sideline him for an extended period. He appeared to get hurt on a tackle by Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson that also could’ve been viewed as a violation.

Even though penalties weren’t called, the league could fine players if they view the tackles as a violation of the rule.

Time mismanagement

The Eagles blew their fourth game in less than a calendar year in which they led with less than two minutes left. The decision to throw on third down with 1:46 remaining in the game backfired on coach Nick Sirianni.

The Falcons had no timeouts when Saquon Barkley dropped a pass that could’ve given Philadelphia a first down that would’ve iced the game. The Eagles settled for a field goal and Kirk Cousins drove Atlanta 70 yards for a 22-21 win that was sealed when Jalen Hurts threw an interception.

“They were running a certain defense and junking it up in the middle, so we were trying to go around the outside and it didn’t work,” Sirianni said.

Two other teams made similar questionable decisions and got away with it.

Up 20-16, the Buccaneers faced a third down at their 10 with 45 seconds left in Detroit. Instead of running the ball and forcing the Lions to use their final timeout, Baker Mayfield threw an incomplete pass that stopped the clock.

The Lions started at the Tampa Bay 44 after a punt, but couldn’t get past the 26 and the Buccaneers held on for the win.

In Jacksonville, the Browns had an 18-13 lead with 1:37 left and threw incomplete on third down to stop the clock. The Jaguars didn’t have any timeouts so that gave them extra time. They got the ball at their 10 with 1:17 remaining after a punt but Cleveland’s defense held.

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