The top offseason priority for the Carolina Panthers has been identified.
The Carolina Panthers had a successful 2025 season. They won the NFC South, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
The Panthers almost beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round, but they came up short, losing by a final score of 34-31.
So what is Carolina's top offseason priority after going 8-9 in Year 2 of the Dave Canales era? NFL writer Moe Moton of Bleacher Report believes it's building continuity around QB Bryce Young.
"Quarterback Bryce Young helped lead the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season," Moton wrote. "Though he only threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 16 starts, the third-year signal-caller led six game-winning drives this season.
"Young has done enough to be the unquestioned starter for at least another year. He'll have another offseason to grow with wideouts Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, who will be an exclusive-rights free agent this offseason.
"Still a relatively young team in one of the league's weaker divisions, the Panthers have a lot of room to grow if they run it back with most of the current roster intact. Young isn't quite playing up to the expectations of a recent No. 1 overall pick, but he's trending in the right direction.
"The Panthers have picked up Young's fifth-year option, which is a vote of confidence in him. Now, they can shift their focus to maintaining and developing the signal-caller's supporting cast for a bigger leap next season."
Young finished the 2025 season with 3,011 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Young was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Carolina uniform.
The Panthers can sign Young to an extension this offseason. It's currently unknown if that will happen.
However, we do know that Carolina will pick up the fifth-year option on Young's contract.
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