New Bryce Young Rumors on What Panthers Want to See for Future Contract Despite 'Loving' QB

People around the NFL feel the Carolina Panthers are planning to see if quarterback Bryce Young can put together more consistent play in his fourth season before offering him an extension, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Saturday.

Young, who has two seasons remaining on his rookie contract, became extension-eligible for the first time this offseason.

"The feeling leaguewide is that he will play out his fourth year and not get a new deal this summer, but everybody seems to be okay with that," Fowler reported Saturday on ESPN's SportsCenter. "The Panthers love Young, but they are in a little bit of a wait-and-see mode with him. They just want to see him put it all together.

"He's been erratic at times. He's been really good at times. He's been a closer late in games helping them get to the playoffs. If he can do that again and put together some more consistent passing performances, he's in line for a big-time payday."

The Panthers have already activated Young's fifth-year option for 2027, which currently sets him on track to hit free agency ahead of his age-27 season in 2028.

The Athletic's Joseph Person reported back in January the Panthers were "not expected" to offer Young an extension this offseason.

Panthers EVP of football operations Brandt Tilis then said in March the team had not yet "had any discussions" with Young's agent about a new contract, per Person.

Tilis said at the time about an extension, per Person: "I'd never rule anything out. But I can't tell you affirmatively yes or no."

The Panthers exercised Young's fifth-year option in late April, after which general manager Dan Morgan said the team was holding internal discussions about a long-term deal.

"In terms of long-term contract, that's something that we're talking about here internally, and we'll do it at the right time," Morgan told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio in May (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).

Morgan also expanded with Schein at the time on how the Panthers were viewing Young's development through his first three NFL seasons, per Patra.

The general manager indicated the Panthers viewed Young's struggles during his 2023 rookie season as in part a reflection of the team's lack of depth and midseason coaching changes.

"Obviously, he came into a really rough situation in terms of coaching staff, maybe you could say the talent around him wasn't great, as well," Morgan said in May, per Patra.

"So to come in as a rookie and come into a really tough situation where we had a coaching change, a lot of shuffling around the building, for coach Canales to come in here and provide stability, for him to be in the system now going on three years in a row, I think you see him just getting better and better every single year."

Young recorded career highs in passing yards (3,011), passing touchdowns (23) and interceptions (11) while leading the Panthers to an 8-8 record and playoff spot in an up-and-down 16 starts of his third NFL season.

His next contract is currently projected at $37.2 million per year by Spotrac, and $33 million by two NFL talent evaluators polled by Person in January.

Whether Young is able to continue developing in his third season with Canales as head coach could impact whether the Panthers ultimately offer him that kind of money.