NFL analyst feels Panthers’ QB Bryce Young could be headed towards bigger contract

It could be “show me the money” time (or not) for some noted NFL quarterbacks sooner than later,

Henry McKenna of Fox Sports zeroed in on six quarterbacks on (as he worded it) “on a contract collision course.” Each of the half-dozen signal-caller are all one-time first-round picks. Among those listed is the first overall selection in 2023 who played well for the Carolina Panthers the second half of 2024.

Bryce Young went from being benched after two games this past season by new head coach Dave Canales to what was a promising 10-game finish. He closed the year by throwing for 2,104 yards and 15 scores (6 interceptions) while also running for 223 yards and five touchdowns.

“The Panthers are letting Young run the organization at the outset of 2025,” theorized McKenna. “Past that, it’s anyone’s guess. He’s not exactly overpaid, given the inconsistency of his career to this point. He showed signs of high-level performance at the end of last season. But with a young core and a strong head coach, Young needs to start winning games.” Indeed, Carolina did come up with four victories in their final nine outings (after a 1-7 start)

“If he can do that—and put up good numbers—the Panthers might just commit to him for the future,” added McKenna. “But it gets murky if the Panthers aren’t winning. It gets murkier if Young’s statistics continue to be underwhelming. He was bad enough for Carolina to bench him last year. Young’s 2025 season must be squeaky clean if he wants to earn himself long-term stability. Because in 2026, it’s easy to imagine Young could be making $50-plus million annually. Or being a third-stringer on another team.”

Young will be surrounded by more talent this season in the form of first-round wideout Tetairoa McMillan, as well as 2025 free-agent pickup Hunter Renfrow. There’s also 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette, who led the team in catches (49) this past season, but struggled with consistency. Canales is off to a good start with Young, so it would be a bit of a surprise if the two-year pro takes a step backwards this upcoming season.

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