The Carolina Panthers announced they have officially picked up the fifth-year option for QB Bryce Young.
Made it official
Read more: https://t.co/FXYGwylC6y pic.twitter.com/wuTXG5Obpp
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 29, 2026
This has been expected for a while and something Carolina has been open about being the plan. May 1 was the deadline and the two sides put pen to paper today.
The option is worth $25.904 million fully guaranteed for the 2027 season. That would rank 20th in the league right now in average annual salary for quarterbacks, so while it’s a major commitment, it’s also cheap if the Panthers see Young as a viable starter.
It also gives the team time to continue to evaluate whether Young is worthy of an extension, and if so, at what level.
Young, 24, was a two-year starter at Alabama and won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2021. The Panthers traded up to draft him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $37,955,074 rookie contract that included a $24.6 million signing bonus. The deal includes a fifth-year option for the 2027 season worth $25.904 million guaranteed, which the team picked up in 2026.
In 2025, Young appeared in 16 games for the Panthers, completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 216 yards on 54 carries with two touchdowns.
We’ll have more on Young as the news is available.
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