ESPN’s Dan Graziano says he had the chance recently to talk to several people with the Panthers about the future of QB Bryce Young, who has had an up-and-down season just like the 7-6 Carolina team as a whole.
He said it still seems like the team believes in Young, with sources pointing to a young receiving corps and a beaten-up offensive line to explain some of the week-to-week inconsistency.
Those swings make it tough to forecast Young’s long-term future with the Panthers but Graziano does expect the team to pick up his fifth-year option in May.
The option is projected to be worth $26.527 million, fully guaranteed for the 2027 season. That would rank 20th in the league right now in average annual salary for quarterbacks, so while it’s a major commitment, it’s also cheap if the Panthers see Young as a viable starter.
Young would also be eligible for an extension but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wouldn’t expect the Panthers to rush into anything with Young. He adds Carolina has viewed 2026 as the season where they can take a true jump after a multi-year rebuilding process, and it makes more sense to pick up Young’s option and let him prove he has made a jump before rushing into a big extension.
Young, 24, was a two-year starter at Alabama and won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2021. The Panthers traded up to draft him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $37,955,074 rookie contract that included a $24.6 million signing bonus. The deal includes a fifth-year option for the 2027 season projected to be worth $26.527 million guaranteed.
In 2025, Young has appeared in 12 games for the Panthers, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 2,337 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He’s also rushed for 121 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown.
We’ll have more on Young as the news is available.
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