Do you agree with this take?
NFL analyst Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report believes the Carolina Panthers' current Super Bowl window is closed because of Bryce Young.
Even though the Panthers won the NFC South title last season, they finished with a sub-.500 record and needed help in Week 18 to win the division.
The Panthers won't sign Young to an extension this offseason, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Young is set to make $12.1 million next season in the fourth year of his rookie deal. His fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million.
"The feeling leaguewide is that he will play out his fourth year and not get a new deal this summer, but everybody seems to be okay with that," Fowler reported Saturday on ESPN's SportsCenter. "The Panthers love Young, but they are in a little bit of a wait-and-see mode with him. They just want to see him put it all together.
"He's been erratic at times. He's been really good at times. He's been a closer late in games helping them get to the playoffs. If he can do that again and put together some more consistent passing performances, he's in line for a big-time payday."
Young finished the 2025 season with 3,011 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He led the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
The first overall pick in the 2023 draft, Young enters next season with 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Carolina uniform. He's 14-30-0 as a starter.
Young is not messing around this year because he probably knows how important the 2026 season is for him and the Panthers. The gunslinger called out his teammates after his receivers dropped several wet footballs at OTAs.
"It isn't raining anymore," Young could be heard shouting at his teammates. "Let's clean this up now. It's not raining anymore. We need better execution."
Young is making it a point to be a more vocal leader in Year 4 and Panthers head coach Dave Canales loves it.
"I heard him get a little bit passionate," Canales said. "We had a monsoon here for a second at practice. Once the rain had passed, he was like, 'Hey, let's lock back in. We have to come up with these balls.' I think he said it with a little more colorful language than that, but I love it. I love the fact that he's taking ownership and the guys see that and rally around that. I think it's something they all appreciate."
If Young plays well next season, the Panthers will sign him to an extension next offseason.
However, if Young struggles in 2026, he could get traded next offseason.
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