Panthers executive compares Bryce Young's contract situation to Patrick Mahomes'

The Carolina Panthers are far away from entertaining a contract extension for Bryce Young.

Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis was a part of the Kansas City Chiefs front office when Patrick Mahomes scored a $450 million contract extension after his third season in the league, leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Per Joseph Person of The Athletic, Tilis was asked Wednesday by reporters how early the Panthers would consider extending Young to a new contract. The second-year Carolina executive admitted that Young's situation in no way mirrors that of Mahomes coming into his third year in the league.

“I’ve only done it with Pat Mahomes in Kansas City," Tilis said. "And it was a little easier because after Pat’s second year, Pat made it to the AFC Championship Game. We had something good going. We kind of knew."

The Panthers don't know where they're at with Young. Carolina benched him in Week 3 of last season, and Young didn't resume starting duties until Andy Dalton suffered a thumb injury in a car accident before Week 8.

Tilis believes Young understands the situation he's up against.

“Bryce is an ascending player," Tilis said. "So I don’t want to sit here and make any kind of promises, any kind of statements about what we’re thinking about for Bryce’s contract or anything like that. 

"And Bryce would probably be the first to tell you — Bryce needs to focus on football and being the best version of himself, and the contract stuff will get figured out.”

Young has thrown for 5,280 yards with 26 touchdowns and 19 interceptions during his first two seasons in the league. He's added six rushing touchdowns but has eight lost fumbles.

Those aren't the kind of stats that scream contract extension after a third season, but they're not bad enough that the Panthers need to think about moving on from Young. 

Eventually, the Panthers will know what they have. But Young may never be Mahomes.