By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said the team plans to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Bryce Young’s contract, but stopped short of saying whether the team will begin long-term contract extension discussions with the 2023 No. 1 overall pick.
Once the team picks up the option, Young will be under contract through the 2027 season, so the Panthers aren’t in a huge rush to make a long-term decision on Young.
Morgan said he and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis will meet to talk about whether to begin discussing a contract extension with Young this offseason or wait to see how the 2026 season plays out before making a long-term commitment.
Morgan didn’t say when the team would make a decision on Young, who is 14-30 as a starter since coming into the league.
“We are still talking through the roster and where things look from a big picture view,” Morgan said at his season-ending news conference on Tuesday. “That is still stuff that is up in the air that we are still working through at this point.”
The 24-year-old Young will cost the Panthers $12 million under the salary cap next season, and is estimated to make $26.5 million in 2027 once the team picks up the fifth-year option, per Overthecap.com.
Young had a promising season in 2025, completing 63.6% of his passes for a career-high 3,011 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was 8-8 as a starter in the regular season, a marked improvement from his 6-22 record over his first two seasons in the league.
The Panthers lost to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in the playoffs on Saturday, but not before Young threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Jalen Coker with 2:39 left to briefly give the Panthers the lead.
Matthew Stafford led a game-winning drive to beat the Panthers.
The Panthers finished 8-10 (including the playoffs) and lost four of their final five games this season.
Young’s 12 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and/or overtime are the most by any quarterback since the 2023 season.
“Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high-level competition,’’ Morgan said. “Just as a team we weren’t as consistent as we want to be on a game-to-game basis, but that’s part of what happens with a young team.”
Morgan also said he expects Tilis to return next season after he interviewed for the vacant Atlanta Falcons team president position last week.