Previewing how the Panthers stack up against NFC South rivals in 2020
Carolina Panthers 2020 team preview
The Carolina Panthers finished 2019 at 5-11 which resulted in a last-place finish in the division. After a nice 5-3 start, they collapsed in the second half of the season after losing eight straight games.
Most experts believe that the Carolina Panthers are in total rebuilding mode in 2020 and do not pose a serious threat in the NFC South. They lost many of their longtime starters such as Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and tight end Greg Olsen.
Carolina also parted ways with longtime head coach Ron Rivera. Former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule will get his first crack at leading an NFL team this season.
The Panthers have a core of young talent that can compete at the game’s highest level. Guys like All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver D.J. Moore and edge rusher Brian Burns have become the new faces of the franchise. The problem is that Carolina lacks much depth beyond its star players.
The team brought in journeyman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to bring some stability to the position. They also brought in a lot of talented rookie defensive players that should be able to make an immediate impact helping a unit that gave up 470 points last season.
The Panthers are being completely overlooked in 2020 and that might just work to their advantage. Expect them to improve upon the 5-11 record that they posted last year and show that they can compete against the division’s excess of talent.
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Realistically Carolina will not be in the playoff mix this year but one has to think that anywhere close to an 8-8 finish would go down as a solid first year for a team looking to build around its’ young core.