Floor, ceiling and reality projections for the Panthers in 2021

Carolina Panthers 2021 record: The reality

• 8-9 wins

Placing a team at eight or nine wins in preseason projections is normally the safe bet and one that is evident a lot. But this could legitimately be the realistic area for the Carolina Panthers to aim for in 2021.

This not only represents progress in the second year under Matt Rhule. But it might mean the head coach has something to build on where Sam Darnold is concerned.

Yes, it all comes back to the quarterback.

There are bound to be some bumps in the road. Carolina is relying once again on young, athletic players to get them where they need to go, which is going to come with the odd hiccup at times during the campaign.

Fans are growing tired of cheering on losing football.

This sentiment is also true where team owner David Tepper is concerned.

The billionaire won’t want to see any sort of regression now he finally has his preferred men in positions of power. The fact Tepper hasn’t experienced a winning record since buying the Panthers from Jerry Richardson only increases his sense of urgency.

In truth, not many would complain if the Panthers mustered eight or nine wins this season. Nobody is expecting a deep postseason run at this stage, so what’s important is for Carolina to keep trending in the right direction despite the obvious challenges ahead of them.