The Carolina Panthers are moving forward without a new contract extension for Bryce Young as yet. General manager Dan Morgan hasn't ruled it out entirely, but both sides seem happy enough to wait.
And there is a good reason for this.
Young is making encouraging progress. Anyone who says otherwise cannot get over their pre-draft projections about his size. He is not the finished article just yet, but the No 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft is on the correct path after a turbulent start to his professional journey.
Morgan is confident in Young. This belief is shared by head coach Dave Canales. Both have noted how comfortable the signal-caller now is, how he's emerging as a leader, and how hard he's worked to bounce back in the face of significant adversity. Even so, actions will speak far louder than words.
Carolina Panthers' waiting on Bryce Young's extension is mutually beneficial
Triggering Young's fifth-year option was the minimum requirement. That was the easy part. Deciding whether to give up a contract that would probably shatter anything in franchise history is something else entirely.
There is also a question about whether Young's representatives would even consider a new deal at this juncture.
They can see the quarterback market soaring. They can see their client ascending. Waiting another year could bring even greater rewards with another strong campaign. So even if the Panthers did make an offer, it would need to be in the $40-50 million per year range to get something worked out.
That might not be something the Panthers are willing to commit to right now. They still have two years to figure things out with Young. Jumping the gun seems foolish, even if it might cost them more in the long run. But if Carolina extends the Alabama product now, and he regresses, that is a much bigger problem.
Waiting is mutually beneficial. Obviously, players like to get paid sooner rather than later. Things can change quickly in the NFL, where you are only one hit or one injury away from the page completely turning. It's a tricky conundrum, but fans have confidence that Morgan and Brandt Tilis will do what's right for the franchise.
Young will be focused solely on football. His agents get paid to worry about this stuff so he can keep the main thing the main thing. When the time comes to sign on the dotted line, he'll be happy to do so. But if the Panthers make him earn it, that'll be just fine, too.
That won't stop the debates from growing, but both Young and the Panthers biding their time could be a win-win situation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google