Overview
- ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the team’s current sense is to pick up Young’s 2027 option while deferring a long-term deal.
- The fifth-year option is projected at about $26.5 million fully guaranteed, a far cheaper commitment than an extension in today’s QB market.
- The Panthers face a May 1, 2026 deadline to make the option decision official under league rules.
- Carolina’s leadership plans an offseason review of Young’s three-year résumé after inconsistent production, with late-season play cited as crucial by ESPN’s David Newton.
- The evaluation carries added weight after the 2023 trade up for the No. 1 pick that cost two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore.