The Carolina Panthers and Bryce Young are both entering a critical time. The Panthers are trying to build off of their NFC South victory, while Young is trying to prove he's a true franchise quarterback.
The Panthers did pick up Young's fifth-year option, so he's under contract through the 2027 season. However, extensions are typically given out the year before the fifth-year option, so many are wondering when or if the Panthers and Young will work something out.
Young is coming off his best season as a pro, but that doesn't mean the Panthers are in a big hurry to dish out a massive extension.
Panthers' Brandt Tilis Wants to See More from Young
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On Monday, Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis spoke with the media, and naturally, the Young situation came up.
Tilis clearly didn't want to divulge much information about a potential extension.
"Any extensions—whether it's with Bryce or anybody else, any of those negotiations—we'll just keep those conversations internal among the organization and the agent," Tilis said.
The executive did acknowledge Young's growth as a passer but also acknowledged that the team still wants to see more.
"I would say he ascended last year, and there's still room for him to ascend," he later stated. "His ceiling, currently, is unknown—and I think that's exciting for us. And he's working hard to get himself there."
As Tilis mentioned, Young definitely took a step forward in 2025. The former top pick started in 16 games and threw for 3,011 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. It was the most productive season of Young's career, but still far from superstar status.
Tilis later added that he wants to "see how the year plays out" with Young. In other words, Tilis doesn't want to extend Young and then have the 2025 season be the high point of the passer's career.
It's understandable to take this approach. A new deal would likely cost the Panthers north of $40 million annually, so you definitely want to be sure before dishing out that much money.
Now, it's up to Young to prove he deserves that kind of investment. The quarterback has a true No. 1 receiver in Tetairoa McMillan, a solid offensive line, and a stout defense. If the Alabama product leads the team to the playoffs again, he'll get paid what he wants.
