The Carolina Panthers gave up a historic package to draft Bryce Young first overall in 2023. They sent multiple first-round picks, two second-rounders, and wide receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears for the right to select him. With one of those picks, the Bears drafted Caleb Williams.
What followed was a rocky start for the former Alabama star that tested the franchise’s patience. Young struggled through his rookie season, then was benched two games into 2024 under new head coach Dave Canales. Young became the starting quarterback again after Andy Dalton was sidelined by a car accident, and he played well enough down the stretch of 2024 to reclaim the job, then took another step forward in 2025.
Dan Morgan Sets the Terms for Bryce Young’s Future in Carolina
Last season, Young set career highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdowns (23), completion percentage (63.6), and passing touchdowns (23) while leading the Panthers to an NFC South title. Carolina’s season ended with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round, but they headed into the offseason with no questions at the quarterback position.
The Panthers officially exercised Young’s fifth-year option in April and locked him in at a guaranteed $25.904 million for 2027. General manager Dan Morgan has acknowledged that extension talks are happening internally, but has made no rush to finalize a deal.
In a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Morgan was asked whether the upcoming season is a “prove-it” campaign for Young.
“I think everybody on our roster has to prove every single day, you know, their value and worth,” Morgan said. “And everybody knows that in this building that you have to, you know, go work and go earn everything.”
“In terms of him [Young] having to earn it, you know, everybody on the roster has to earn it,” he added. “And again, he’s headed in the right direction, and we feel great about him, and again, we’ll get it done at the right time.”
“The right time” will likely be next year, when the Panthers will have a larger sample to determine whether Young’s improvement is sustainable or whether they’re looking at a Tua Tagovailoa-type overpay at the most important position on the team.
Young’s situation mirrors that of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, but in reverse. Both were top-two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and had their fifth-year options picked up this spring, but neither has secured a long-term extension, despite being eligible.
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However, their career trajectories have been totally opposite. Stroud was spectacular as a rookie, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading the Houston Texans to an unlikely AFC South title. But his play has declined in each of the next two seasons.
He finished the 2025 regular season with 19 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and then melted down in the postseason with five fumbles in a Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and four interceptions in a Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, last season he posted an impact score of 76.2, ranking 19th in the league.
Young, on the other hand, looked overmatched as a rookie, lost his job in his second season, and has improved in each of his past two seasons.
It can be said that the Panthers’ quarterback’s stock is at an all-time high, while Stroud’s is at an all-time low following his disastrous performances in the playoffs last season, which might have cost the Texans a Super Bowl appearance.
Both quarterbacks could be looking at deals in the $250 million range if they put together strong 2026 campaigns. The 2026 season will define both players’ futures in the league, and hopefully, they’ll have their best seasons.
