Jeremy Fowler reports that the Panthers will pick up QB Bryce Young‘s fifth-year option worth around $26.5 million.
Fowler notes that it’s a good bargain that will put him under contract until 2027, yet the front office wants to see more from Young, given his inconsistencies this season and the fact that he has just three games with more than 200 passing yards.
Going forward, Fowler expects it to be a “pay as you go” situation between the two sides as he doesn’t expect the team to offer him a five-year extension anytime within the next couple of months, despite potential long-term interest.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently talked to several people with the Panthers about the future of Young and said it still seems like the team believes in him, 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 also expects 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 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 15 games for the Panthers, completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,745 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 217 yards on 52 carries with two touchdowns.
We’ll have more on Young as the news is available.
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