Bryce Young is eligible for a contract extension, but the Carolina Panthers aren't in a rush to lock down the 2023 No. 1 overall pick just yet.
Speaking on Monday, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Brandt Tilis brushed aside questions about a Young extension, noting that the Panthers are still watching the QB develop.
"I would say he ascended last year and there is still room for him to ascend," Tilis said via the Associated Press. "His ceiling is currently unknown and I think that is exciting for us. He's working hard to get himself there."
Entering Year 4, questions remain, particularly after Young's slow evolution, partly due to rocky terrain during his rookie season under the previous staff. The QB was famously benched by current coach Dave Canales in Sept. 2024, before returning and showing signs of development. Tills rejected the notion that the Panthers could have a better idea of Young's ceiling, pointing to the still-growing offense around the QB.
"Not necessarily. The team is growing, too," he said. "He's going to ascend as the team ascends, and vice versa. The team is going to get better. So it's all good."
Young has shown marked improvement under Canales, but given how vast his struggles were as a rookie, the flashes haven't met the play of a quarterback who's proven he's worth $45-50 million per year on an extension.
Even though he's been eligible for a new contract, the fact that there has been little discussion about the possibility underscores where things stand with Young, his development and the Panthers organization. With two more years of team control before even having to consider the franchise tag – Young is under the 5th-year option in 2027 for $25.904 million – the club can play the wait-and-see game.
Tilis said the team believes it'll see Young make significant strides in 2026.
"The team is better, the coaches are good — Bryce is putting in the work, too. So it's all there," Tilis said. "We will just see how the year plays out. I think we are all really excited for what Bryce is going to show and how the team is going to do."
Thus far, things are up for Young, whom Canales said is "playing so much faster" in camp this offseason.
"It just seems like he's eliminating things before the snap," Canales said. "On his drop, he's starting to eliminate and evaluate things and throwing really anticipatory throws. ... So I love where he's headed. I love that he's all in. He seems to be really enjoying it and so we just keep taking it a day at a time and try to challenge ourselves that way."
If the Carolina Reaper becomes the player the Panthers envisioned when selecting the 5-foot-10 QB No. 1 overall, they'll have no problem paying the going rate. Until then, they'll keep the Brink's truck parked in the bay.
