I will throw the “Bryce is a bust” crowd a bone… but keep reading before you spike the ball.

To some it is clear that C. J. Stroud is the better QB. In fact, his performance has convinced many that Bryce is simply a bust and not worthy of an NFL roster.

While I’m not prepared to go that far, I am willing to admit that I was completely sold on Stroud after watching him play against Georgia in the 2022 Peach Bowl. I watched a mature and poised QB dissect Georgia’s defense full of NFL caliber talent. He displayed a perfect balance between using his mobility to make plays and restraining the urge to run to make a play downfield with his arm. It was pretty impressive. After watching that game I was convinced that Stroud would be, at the very least, a very good NFL QB (which is saying a lot).

Fast forward to today and Stroud has lived up to those expectations. I stop short of saying “and then some” because the sample size (IMHO) is still too small. The one issue I have is not that people are singing the praises of Stroud (he deserves them, even with the superior supporting cast… he has capitalized on it tremendously). The issue I see is that people are comparing Stroud to Young as if all things are equal. They are currently not.

Whatever the reason, the two teams are not performing the same. Of course, Stroud is contributing greatly to the success of the Texans team. It is a symbiotic relationship. Stroud feeds off of the success of his surrounding roster and coaching staff, and vice-versa. If you translate that reasoning to the Young situation, you have a recipe for disaster for a rookie QB (no matter the QB).

The comparisons are also illogical and irrational. From the “Texas sharpshooter fallacy,” the “red herring fallacy,” “appeal to emotion,” and even the “shotgun argument” fallacy… this sub is littered with irrational and illogical takes, all in an effort to assert that Bryce must be the wrong pick or a bust. If you have any desire to engage with objective reality, none of this is helpful (even for a “fan-atic”).

The (objective) fact remains that Bryce needs time before we can declare that. Stroud’s success has no impact on Bryce’s failures (they are not competing against one another). What is obvious, though, is the emotional toll it has taken on the Panthers fanbase. I get it. Panthers football sucks. Heck, Charlotte professional sports sucks. The Hornets still suck. If you’re a Duke or Carolina football fan, you even have this past weekend’s loss (Duke) and consistently lackluster performance (Carolina) to grieve over. It’s a tough sports time for many of us. That said, what benefit is there in perpetuating irrational takes (ignoring reality and reason itself) because of your emotional ties to the Panthers & Stroud?

If you still believe they should’ve chosen Stroud, great. I’m not mad at you. I think the Panthers choosing Stroud would have been a good move. I also still think the same about Young. I’m of the opinion that they are both great prospects and could very well be interchangeable because they have different strengths.

All I ask is that as we discuss it, can we get along and be reasonable? Remember sub rule #1 “Remember the human.” Remember the humanity of one another and of the players we are discussing. I think that is an important perspective. This is what actually drives my view of this situation - I consider the humanity of you all and of Bryce and C. J. I’m not prepared to throw Bryce away because, historically, even the best QB’s take more than one season to develop (because they are human and need to adapt and grow). I’m not prepared to write Stroud into the HOF just yet because he is also human, and he’s presenting chapter 1 of a library of film for defensive coordinators to study.

I could go on, but just know that I don’t think you’re crazy if you think Stroud would’ve been the better choice. Just don’t let that consideration, in this moment, drive you crazy.