4 reasons increased expectations could help the Panthers in 2021
By Dean Jones
Young Carolina Panthers stars should grow up fast
Having a little more on the line in terms of expectations means it’ll take this young roster to grow up quickly in pursuit of attaining a winning record for the first time since 2017.
The Carolina Panthers placed their faith in a youth movement last spring that continued during this year’s free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft, which could go either way from the outside looking in when one compares them to more established teams across the league.
It’s going to take a collective effort. There’s no getting away from that.
But there is more than enough talent on both sides of the ball to cause some real shocks along the way next season.
Rookie, sophomores, and others still making their way in the NFL need to stand up and be counted. Nobody is expecting the Panthers to topple the Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFC South title, but they could finish second with plenty of questions surrounding the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.
Having the right energy throughout a grueling 17-game campaign is key. If Carolina’s young guns display the right sort of maturity right out of the gate, the sky is the limit moving forward.