CHARLOTTE, N.C. — To say the 2023-24 season was a disaster for the Carolina Panthers would be an understatement. Not only did the team win just two games while struggling to find any identity on offense, the decision to make a blockbuster trade for the No. 1 pick means the team doesn't have a first-round selection in this year's draft.
Dysfunction doomed the season
As Panthers players cleaned out their lockers Monday to officially begin the offseason, tight end Hayden Hurst believes it's a critical point for Bryce Young. Carolina's situation was described as being like the "Hunger Games" once things went sideways, with assistant coaches and staffers reportedly doing whatever it took to keep their jobs.
Hurst told reporters there came a point in time where the Panthers essentially had too many cooks in the kitchen and it prevented Young from taking the next step, although the rookie showed some promise in late-season games against Green Bay and Atlanta.
"I think it was apparent if you were in this locker room. You can kind of tell," he said. "Again, just a lot of voices, a lot of people trying to, I guess, right the ship. I think it just got to a point where there were too many voices."
Hurst went on to say that Young will benefit from having a new coach and offensive system going forward. Hurst saw firsthand how valuable that is, spending the 2022 season in Cincinnati with Joe Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor.
"It'll be good for Bryce to have consistency this offseason," Hurst said. "One voice telling him what to do, kind of guide him in the right direction."
When asked about the dysfunctional locker room, Young pointed to Frank Reich's firing as the low point and pushed back on the idea that there were too many voices trying to influence him.
"I didn't feel like it was too much," he said. "We all want to get coached. Hayden's been great to work with, he's been great on the field and off the field, so I appreciate it, I know where he's coming from. That's part of it, but I'm just grateful for the buy-in everyone had."
Brian Burns on his future: "It's a business"
One of the biggest questions facing the Panthers last offseason was the future of Brian Burns. One of the biggest questions facing the Panthers this offseason? The future of Brian Burns.
The former first-round pick is among two dozen Panthers who will be free agents this spring. Burns made it clear during the 2022 season that he wanted to stay in Carolina and the team reportedly turned down at least one major trade offer for him around the same time Christian McCaffrey was dealt to the 49ers. Burns says he'd still prefer to play for Carolina, but understands anything is possible.
"They got a lot of stuff to figure out," Burns said. "I don't think I'm No. 1 on that list right now.
"If they do keep my guys, my defense together, there's so much we didn't get to do that I want to do with these guys. It's a business, it can go any which way, I just gotta be ready and do what I can do, control what I can control and be ready for whatever happens."
Burns recorded a career-low 6 sacks this season.
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