‘His ceiling currently is unknown, and that’s exciting’ — Carolina Panthers are putting the ball in Bryce Young’s court to earn extension
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is expected to enter into the 2026 season without a new extension in place and plenty to prove to the organization that drafted him first overall.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is entering into his fourth season with the team that invested heavily to trade up and select him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Yet, Young is expected to enter into the season without a new deal in place.
Young still has plenty to prove in Carolina and while he told reporters he’s not thinking about a long-term deal, it is something that surely weighs heavy on his mind going into the 2026 season.
In the meantime, the Panthers are still keeping things close to the chest when it comes to a potential extension with their current starting quarterback.
Carolina Panthers are still playing coy with Bryce Young’s future and any talks of an extension
Executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis spoke with reporters after practice on Monday and one of the top questions during his availability focused on the team’s outlook with Young’s future heading into the season.
“I would say he ascended last year and there’s still room for him to ascend,” Tilis told reporters. “His ceiling currently is unknown, and I think that’s exciting for us. He’s working hard to get himself there. Because it could be here; we don’t know where it is.”
Young is coming off a strong season in which he earned plenty of respect around the league. Young led the Panthers to the team’s first NFC South title since 2015 and posted career-high stats across the board. That respect, however, has yet to be fully earned in the way that matters most from the team that drafted him.
Yet, the Panthers are taking a logical approach by putting the ball in Young’s court to prove how much he’s truly worth with a improved roster around him.
“The team is better. The coaches are good, and Bryce is putting in the work, too. So it’s all there. We’ll just see how the year plays out,” Tilis added. “I think we’re all really excited for what Bryce is gonna show and how the team’s gonna be.”
Bryce Young is in the middle of his best training camp since joining the Panthers
By all accounts, Young is in the middle of his best training camp showing since being drafted back in 2023. He has shown a lot more leadership and command of the offense going into his third season working with head coach Dave Canales, a critical year for the development of any quarterback in this league.
“Third year in a system is really huge for a quarterback,” Panthers quarterback, and former first-round pick, Kenny Pickett explained to the Charlotte Observer. “That’s kind of where you really master it. I think three years in a system is the magic number that people say, for a quarterback in a system. I believe it.”
That’s certainly proved to be the case for Young after the first couple practice sessions. And it’s not just the leadership and understanding of the offense that’s standing out from Young going into Year 4.
“The special plays still show up every day,” Canales explained. “Moving up the spot, pushing up in the pocket, layering balls, all the accuracy. But the part that I’ve been really impressed with this camp is just the chemistry with our receivers. The time on task with Jalen Coker, T Mac, Xavier Legette, Ja’Tavion Sanders and the tight end group who have been around for a while, and now it just seems like he’s playing so much faster.”
The trajectory is going up for Young, and with the ball in his court, it’s solely up to him to prove he’s worth a second contract with the Panthers and how large of a deal it should be.
“I love where he’s headed, I love that he’s all in,” Canales added. “He seems to be really enjoying it, so we just keep taking it a day at a time and try to challenge ourselves that way.”
