EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDave Canales reiterated the Carolina Panthers' commitment to quarterback Bryce Young for the 2026 season, but the coach said Tuesday in an interview on Stephen A. Smith's Sirius XM show that any talk of a potential long-term pact with Young will be the responsibility of the front office as Canales helps Young "take the next step" on the field.Smith specifically asked Canales whether Young, who led the Panthers to an NFC South title last season, is the team's franchise quarterback."He is right now," Canales said with a smile. "He's our guy -- he's our guy, and I love the trajectory that he's on. And not just the stuff that he's growing in -- from just an operational standpoint, moving the offense, finding chemistry and all that stuff -- but it's also just the critical moments, you know? It's those games, it's the close games, it's the one-score game at the end."Whether we're up or down, I love having Bryce out there," Canales continued. "I love that he stays cool, calm and collected and aggressive, and he attacks at the right time. So, all those things are pointing in the right direction -- I'll just let the rest of the stuff just sort itself out, with all the conversations with his whole group and party and our front office here with [general manager Dan Morgan and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis] working that part out. But for me, especially now not calling plays, I get to just enjoy this road, help him improve on a daily basis and really take that input and get him to take the next step."Young, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, is coming off a career year, and he is eligible for a long-term contract extension. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner led Carolina to an 8-9 record last season, and he produced career-high numbers across the board, including 3,011 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns.The Panthers picked up Young's fifth-year contract option following this year's draft. He is under contract through the 2027 campaign, but the two sides could look to get a deal done early to lock up the relationship for the foreseeable future, which makes this season paramount to Young's legacy in Carolina.The Panthers can afford to wait for Young to ascend even further this season, but that patience could lead to a bigger overall cash-in from the quarterback, who took the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.The 5-foot-10, 204-pound passer has a career 14-30 win-loss record as a three-year starter. However, following his midseason benching in 2024, Young has collected a 12-14 record while leading Carolina's offense under Canales.Like Young, Canales is also facing a big year. As Canales acknowledged during the chat with Smith, he has handed over offensive play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik this year. Under Canales, the Panthers' offense finished in the bottom third of the league in scoring and passing in each of his first two seasons. He has a 13-21 record as the Panthers' coach.
