FanSided reporter predicts bleak future for Carolina Panthers in 2022

FanSided’s national NFL reporter Matt Verderame predicts another season of abject failure and misery for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. 

There is some hope that the Carolina Panthers can start moving forward positively after an encouraging offseason. However, one cannot look at their chances in 2022 with anything other than trepidation right now despite some useful acquisitions in free agency and the draft.

The Panthers have not earned the right for optimism after so much underachievement since David Tepper bought the team. This is a franchise that has never experienced back-to-back winning seasons in almost three decades and yet another five-win campaign last time around left far more questions than answers.

Tepper obviously declared his faith in head coach Matt Rhule. But there are already rumors surfacing about his job status beyond this season, which is not exactly ideal leading up to training camp.

A report surrounding the Panthers going after former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton in 2023 sparked questions on the first day of rookie minicamp, which Rhule handled pretty well all things considered.

This only raises the stakes for the former Baylor man. Carolina has a talented roster with dynamic playmakers, but there remain some severe concerns about the quarterback position that might end up holding the team back when it’s all said and done.

No sooner had the 2022 schedule release been confirmed, FanSided‘s national NFL reporter Matt Verderame published his full game predictions for every single contest, including the playoffs and eventual Super Bowl winner.

Carolina Panthers projected to attain five wins in 2022

This did not paint the rosiest of pictures for the Panthers, who Verderame had going 5-12 once again, which would be the fourth consecutive year they’ve finished with this win total.

Although this would be a disaster, it isn’t enough to have Carolina sitting bottom of the NFC South. A distinction that Verderame thinks will belong to the Atlanta Falcons en route to a 3-14 season.

Just what repercussions would emerge from Verderame’s projection coming true don’t bear thinking about. It would almost certainly spell the end for Rhule after three seasons and 15 victories, which could lead to a complete reset in coaching and across the roster.

Another campaign of mediocrity or worse would not sit well with the fans. There is a growing sense of disillusionment with attendances dwindling at Bank of America Stadium, although these seats have been willingly filled by opposing supporters almost weekly.

Tepper preached long and hard about winning when buying the Panthers.

But actions speak far louder than empty promises at this point.

This is a little worse than our initial game-by-game predictions, which had Carolina finishing at 6-11. If nothing else, these projections are an indicator of just how much things are hanging by a thread ahead of a crossroads season with franchise-altering ramifications.

It’s going to be another bumpy ride with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Urgency is the name of the game for Carolina and a strong start with plenty of home games is of critical importance.

Verderame paints a bleak future for the Panthers in 2022. We can only hope he is wrong.