Jason Burgos
It seems that despite the big risks, the Carolina Panthers do not want to have a lame-duck starting quarterback in 2026.
When the Panthers made Bryce Young the first overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, the organization felt a great deal of hope that they might have a future star. However, his rookie season was one to forget as the team went 2-14 in his starts, as he posted a 59.8 completion percentage, a 34.1 quarterback rating, and 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
The former Alabama star was benched early in his sophomore season but eventually worked his way back into the starting role and showed some signs of growth. The 2025 campaign showed further development under head coach Dave Canales as Young had career highs in completion percentage (63.6%), yards (3,011), and touchdowns (23).
Yet, while those were the best single-season numbers of his career, his completion percentage was 23rd, yards were 21st, and touchdowns were 14th best in the NFL. While he was better for the Panthers in 2025, he was still a middle-of-the-road or worse starting QB compared to the rest of the league.
That is why it is understandable that the Panthers have yet to pick up his fifth-year option, which would be worth $25.9 million. Making him prove further growth would not be a bad idea with the 2027 NFL Draft set to have a strong QB class.
Carolina Panthers to pick up Bryce Young’s fifth-year option soon
But it seems the Panthers would rather take the risk of having an average QB making $25 million next year than run the risk of having to compete for Young’s services in free agency.
On Tuesday, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan stated that after the draft, he plans to have conversations about picking up Bryce Young’s fifth-year option. “Once the draft’s over, we’ll definitely get that going,” Morgan told media. “Obviously, the player’s not in the building yet. … We’ll get that done as soon as he gets back in the building.”
If Young can take another step forward in 2026, the Panthers could have a good QB at a reasonable rate next year. However, if he disappoints and potentially gets benched, they will have the highest-paid backup in the NFL.
