Dave Canales' Comments on Bryce Young's Future Reveal Contract Plans

The Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales to fix Bryce Young, and after two games together, the quarterback was sent to the bench. It looked like his Panthers career was over.

Obviously, that's not the case, and Young is a candidate, albeit an unlikely one, for an extension this offseason. Throughout the entire saga, as trade rumors persisted and narratives built, Canales always wanted this to be the outcome.

Some coaches who come in and have an incumbent QB struggling will want to move on, but Canales didn't have that mindset. The Panthers haven't revealed if they're going to extend him or not, but based on Canales' comments, they are and that was Canales' charge: get Young an extension.

"If this thing comes to a crescendo, which I believe it will, if Bryce goes where I think he's going to go this year and continues to improve … we're going to have to make that [contract] decision," Canales told FOX Sports' Henry McKenna. "And I want to make sure, organizationally, or from a roster standpoint, we are in a position to say, ‘OK, let's go.’"

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales celebrates with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Of course, from an organizational standpoint, the Panthers certainly always wanted Young to get an extension. They wouldn't have traded up and spent the first overall pick on him if they felt they'd only get five mediocre years at best.

But from an individual standpoint, that had little to do with Canales. He could've benched him, seen the fruits of Andy Dalton's success, and used that to petition the front office to let him get his preferred QB, but he didn't do that.

The Panthers haven't committed to Young beyond his fifth-year option that they will pick up this offseason. A contract extension is being discussed within the front office, but it would be a surprise.

Despite their differences and the rocky two years they've had together, Canales wants to keep coaching Young for a long time, and his goal is to make sure the Panthers do extend the former Alabama QB.

"Is it Bryce? I hope so," Canales said. "That's our goal, to make it so that we can build a strong enough team to be able to withstand that [contract] and continue to have that layered, progressive developmental approach."

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with quarterback Bryce Young | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

That last comment reveals the Panthers' plans. They're all well aware that Young hasn't played himself into a $50 million contract. They want to extend him on a more team-friendly deal, which Young's level of play warrants.

That could be the smartest thing to do. As some teams (the Miami Dolphins most notably) have learned, it can be hard to build with an albatross QB contract and not a generational QB talent. The Panthers would be in the same situation but with more money to support Young with better teammates.

Of course, the goal is to get Young to be the best QB he can possibly be, and with his pre-draft pedigree, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that is becoming one of the best in the world. But that won't happen in 2026.

So the goal for Canales and the Panthers is to get Young good enough for an extension so he can continue his upward trajectory and make the contract a steal. That's kind of what the Panthers did long ago with Cam Newton, extending him right before he won the NFL MVP award.