The next major decision facing the Carolina Panthers' front office will be what to do with their starting quarterback Bryce Young.
Going into his fourth season in the NFL, it's not an easy call. Young has shown flashes of elite ability, but he's still producing at a well below-average level too often.
There are three paths ahead for the organization.
If Young makes his big breakthrough this season, they could give him the lucrative long-term extension that would cement him in as their franchise guy. If he bombs, then they could start looking for another starter, beginning with the loaded draft class of 2027. The Panthers could also decide to wait—if Young's performance falls somewhere in the middle, they still have him under contract for another season thanks
to his fifth-year option.
As for Young, he continues to say all the right things. When asked about his contract situation going into Week 1, Young replied that it's out of his hands and he's all about football.
“For me, it’s just about football—all that stuff happens. It’s outside my control.
"All that stuff, other people and upstairs and agents, all that. It’s season time. We’re going into Week 1; that’s all that matters. We have all the inspiration. There’s a great challenge ahead of us, and our first opponent, so that’s all that I have the capacity to be focused on.”
Young deserves credit for his attitude, which has been in the right place at every turn of his pro career thus far.
When he was benched early in 2024, he was mature and supportive of veteran backup Andy Dalton. When he's had big games and moments, Young has deferred and given credit to his teammates. When he's bombed Young has taken responsibility.
Intangibles like that are great and important for a franchise quarterback, but they're not enough to earn a contract that could be worth $50 million a year. Young has to prove that he can deliver strong results on a consistent basis, or he's not going to get that next big deal from the Panthers.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers QB Bryce Young comments on contract situation going into Week 1
