Bryce Young Thrills Fans With Electric Drive in Panthers' Preseason Finale vs. Lions

After raising doubts with a rough preseason debut, 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young started to win over Carolina Panthers fans Friday.

During preseason action against the Detroit Lions, the rookie quarterback arrowed a 16-yard throw to Adam Thielen for the first touchdown pass of his Panthers career.

Young finished the night 7-for-12 for 73 yards and a touchdown, adding three rushes for 21 yards on the ground.

It was a far cry from the Alabama product's August 12 performance against the New York Jets, when he completed four passes for 21 yards and was sacked once.

Fans watching from across the NFL noted the improvement.

Viewers were especially impressed that Young's touchdown throw was accurate enough to connect with Thielen's face mask.

For Young to succeed in the regular season, however, the rest of the Panthers' offense will need to back him up. After a few rough preseason performances for the offensive line, that has some fans worried.

Young, now officially the team's first string quarterback, will get his first shot at regular-season action September 10 during Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.