Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said the team plans to exercise the option on the fifth year of quarterback Bryce Young’s contract, but he did not say whether the team has begun discussions with his camp regarding a contract extension.
Once the team activates this option, Young will be under contract through the 2027 season, meaning the Panthers will no longer be in as much of a rush to make a decision about Young’s future.
Morgan said he and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis will meet to discuss whether to enter into negotiations with Young this offseason, or wait to see how the 2026 season plays out, before making a long-term pact.
Morgan did not say when the team would make a decision regarding the future of the 2023 No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, who has compiled a 14-30 record as a starting quarterback since joining the league.
“We’re still discussing the squad and the whole situation,” Morgan said during his end-of-season press conference on Tuesday. This is still an outstanding issue that we are currently working on. »
Young, who is 24, will earn US$12 million next season, and is expected to receive $26.5 million in 2027 — if the team exercises the option in his contract for a fifth year, according to Overthecap.com.
Young had a promising season in 2025, completing 63.6% of his passes for a career-high 3,011 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He finished with an 8-8 regular season record as the starting quarterback, a marked improvement from his 6-22 cumulative record in his first two NFL campaigns.
The Panthers lost 34-31 to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday in the playoffs, despite the fact that Young threw a touchdown pass to Jalen Coker with 2:39 remaining in the game, temporarily giving his team the lead.
