2023-09-08 04:22:41
ATLANTA — The Carolina Panthers are entering a new era with Bryce Young as the new face of the franchise.
That’s exactly the kind of expectation that top draft picks usually create.
There’s a lot less excitement surrounding Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder, though the Georgia team has no less internal expectation. Ridder will enter his first full year as a starter.
The two young pivots will be the center of attention when the Falcons host the Panthers on Sunday in the first week of activity in the NFL.
With Frank Reich as the new head coach, the Panthers put Young at the center of their rebuild. The quarterback won the Heisman Trophy during his brilliant college career in Alabama.
For now, Young thinks of nothing but the first game.
“I’m not a long-term guy,” Young said. It’s never easy. There are going to be ups and downs.”
Ridder, for his part, was far from a first choice. Even following a stellar college career, he slipped all the way to the third round in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ridder spent the majority of his first season as a substitute for Marcus Mariota before taking over for the final four games. The Falcons went 2-2 when he was in charge. The results were promising enough to land him the No. 1 quarterback job.
For now, it’s Ridder’s team.
“I have prepared myself for this moment and for what I need to do,” he said.
Quebecer Matthew Bergeron has also earned his place in the starting lineup for this meeting. Helped by the absence of Matt Hennessy, in the same position, due to an injury, he will have the difficult task of protecting Ridder as a left guard.
Bergeron was a Falcons second-round pick (38th) this year. He completed his college career at Syracuse, in the NCAA.
These NA South rivals have followed similar trajectories in recent years. Neither team has shown a winning record since 2017, the last year they made the playoffs.
Now both teams are counting on young quarterbacks to lead them to a brighter future.
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