Vegas not high on Carolina Panthers to win the Super Bowl
By Dean Jones
The Vegas bookmakers have taken a pessimistic view on the Carolina Panthers’ ability to secure an unlikely Super Bowl victory in 2020.
This will not come as a surprise to Carolina Panthers’ fans. But the Vegas oddsmakers do not like the team’s chances of making a Super Bowl run in 2020.
The Caesar Sportsbook has the Panthers at 50-1 to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy next year. This puts them behind NFC South rivals the New Orleans Saints (14-1) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17-1). One glimmer of hope is that they are slightly ahead of the Atlanta Falcons, who were given lofty odds of 55-1.
Carolina is 22-1 to claim the divisional crown in an ultra-competitive NFC South that has been significantly boosted by the Bucs’ signing quarterback Tom Brady in free agency. The Saints also made an eye-catching move by acquiring free-agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders from the San Francisco 49ers.
The Panthers’ over/under on wins currently stands at 5.5, which predicts a similar record of 5-11 that the team achieved in 2019. They are +525 to make the playoffs.
These odds reflect the difficulties surrounding the Panthers heading into the 2020 season. They have lost some influential figures on both sides of the field and in the midst of a complete rebuild under new head coach Matt Rhule.
Legendary linebacker Luke Kuechly announced his retirement at just 28-years-old. Quarterback Cam Newton was released, and experienced tight end Greg Olsen left the franchise to join the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.
Some key figures on defense in 2019 are also no longer part of the roster. Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, and Vernon Butler leave a gaping hole on their defensive line and talented cornerback James Bradberry signed a big-money deal with the New York Giants.
The likes of Teddy Bridgewater, Robby Anderson, and Russell Okung were some of the more high-profile acquisitions by the Panthers. But Okung’s arrival came at the expense of Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner, who was sent to the Los Angeles Chargers in return.
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If any of the Panthers’ fanbase were unaware of the mountain facing the franchise next season. These odds should all-but confirm any concerns about the team’s prospects in the immediate future.