"One of the best quarterbacks I've ever seen in my life" is not a thing many people were saying about Young at different points last year.
But Young has gotten a better supporting cast around him than he had early on, as they invested heavily in the offensive line going into last season (and the sacks went from 65 to 36 in a year), and their last two first-round picks were on wide receivers.
He's also gotten better himself, and is playing with more confidence than ever. After getting his job back accidentally (literally, since an Andy Dalton car wreck was the reason he went back in the lineup in Denver), he made it his own again and played the way a lot of people, including Stroud, imagined.
When Panthers head coach Dave Canales was asked about Young's play late in practice, when he drove the team for a touchdown with 1:20 left on the clock, he talked about all the little things.
Canales likes to keep things granular, that's where he's comfortable, and said Young was also comfortable with all those individual elements.
"Just our process, getting to the line, using his tools, using his answers, reading coverages, and just being accurate with the ball, extending plays when he had to," Canales said. "And the more opportunities he gives our guys to make plays, they've come through for him.
"He did a great job today."