Bryce Young

Career StatsD

Year	Team	GP	Yards	TD	INT	RTG
Career		46	8,291	49	30	80.9
2025		16	3,011	23	11	87.8
2024		14	2,403	15	9	82.2

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Panthers locked up their young quarterback at what amounts to a fair market deal, though Bryce Young's C+ CVI reflects the inherent risk of betting on potential over proven production. At $9.5M AAV with full guaranteed money, Carolina is paying rotational player-level performance for what they hope becomes franchise-caliber quarterbacking — a calculated gamble that's neither a steal nor an overpay given the current QB market. Young's age works heavily in his favor here, as the four-year structure gives him ample runway to develop while the organization maintains cost certainty through his prime developmental window. The full guarantee signals Carolina's commitment but also eliminates any team-friendly escape hatches if Young's progression stalls, making this a pure bet on his upside materializing. While $9.5M annually sits well below elite QB money, it's a significant investment in a player whose on-field impact has been closer to a backup than a consistent starter, creating a contract that hinges entirely on developmental trajectory rather than established value.

Performance Analysis

Bryce Young, the first overall pick of the 2023 draft, enters his third NFL season still searching for consistency as Carolina's franchise cornerstone. At just 24, he earns a D grade overall, though his youth and pedigree demand patience from evaluators. He remains a developing talent, not yet a finished product. This season shows genuine mixed signals worth examining closely. His 87.8 passer rating exceeds the NFL average of 77.2, a legitimate bright spot suggesting improved decision-making under center. However, his 6.30 yards per attempt trails the league average of 6.90, and his 188.2 passing yards per game falls well short of the 230.0 league benchmark. Completion percentage sits at 63.6 percent, essentially matching the 64.2 NFL average but nowhere near elite territory at 70.2. His season trend tells a cautious but not hopeless story. Young graded out at an F in 2023, improved to a D in 2024, and has climbed to a D+ through 2025 — incremental gains that matter. The trajectory is upward, if frustratingly slow. His career 80.9 passer rating and 61.4 completion percentage reflect a player still building foundational consistency. For Young to fulfill his first-overall promise, he must close the yardage gap and sustain the passer rating improvements across full seasons. Watch for whether Carolina can surround him with legitimate weapons — his ceiling remains meaningfully higher than his current output suggests.

Current Sentiment

Bryce Young enters the 2026 season in a precarious position, carrying the weight of being the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft while posting a career passer rating that ranks among the lowest for quarterbacks with his level of investment. The Panthers' decision to exercise his fifth-year option signals organizational patience, but that move is widely interpreted as a procedural hedge rather than a ringing endorsement of his long-term future in Carolina. Front office comments about a long-term extension being possible 'at the right time' have been met with skepticism by analysts, who note the carefully non-committal language as a tell that the team is still evaluating its options. A notable headline explicitly placing Young 'on notice' following the draft reflects a broader media consensus that his starting role is no longer guaranteed, with the team's draft activity suggesting they are actively building contingency plans at the position. Fan sentiment has cooled considerably from the optimism surrounding his arrival, and without a dramatic statistical turnaround in 2025, the perception heading into 2026 is that Young is fighting to reclaim his status as a legitimate franchise quarterback rather than simply developing into one.