Should Panthers pick up Bryce Young’s fifth-year option? Weighing the cost
The Panthers have a big decision to make this offseason: Will they pick up starting quarterback Bryce Young’s fifth-year contract option, or will they give him lame-duck status heading into 2026?
Young’s option, which would be for the 2027 NFL season, is projected to be valued at $26.5 million, according to Over The Cap. That’s less than half of the annual average salaries of Green Bay’s Jordan Love ($55 million), Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence ($55 million) and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa ($53.1 million).
Panthers beat writer Mike Kaye and Charlotte Observer sports columnist Scott Fowler discuss the big decision on the latest episode of the Processing Blue podcast. The veteran scribes talk about the risk/reward factor of picking up the option and why the Panthers can afford to wait on making a final verdict on a potentially franchise-altering choice.
The Charlotte Observer team also offers its takes on the win over the Los Angeles Rams, Ejiro Evero’s 2025 rebound as a defensive coordinator and the final four games of the Panthers’ season.
Carolna might be on a bye week, but Kaye and Fowler still had some work to get done. Join them for an in-depth chat on all things Panthers on the Processing Blue podcast.
Listen to the latest podcast episode at the embed in this story, or download it on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also check out the show on YouTube.
