Dave Canales believes the Carolina Panthers can surprise people in 2025. The head coach isn't going to accept anything less, which leaves fans dreaming of a winning record or perhaps even mounting an NFC South title challenge if everything goes better than anticipated.
That's not an opinion shared by anybody. And one NFL analyst burst the Panthers' current bubble of optimism with a gut-wrenching prediction for their potential outlook in 2025.
NFL analyst predicts the Carolina Panthers to go 6-11 during 2025 season
Conor Orr from Sports Illustrated has the Panthers going 6-11 in 2025. He thought Carolina could get off to a hot start before regressing as the campaign went on. Considering this is only one more win than Canales managed to achieve last time around, fans would probably feel a sense of disappointment if this scenario came to fruition.
"These predictions are being published just before Week 2 of the NFL preseason, and boy did I like what I saw from Bryce Young against the Browns. He’s firing now and gets rid of the ball with such confidence. I like Tetairoa McMillan as a contested deep-ball threat, but I think it’s going to take time to get him proficient in traffic. So, I have a mix of good and realistic bad. That includes a three-game winning streak in Weeks 3 to 5, giving Carolina a winning record for the first time since 2021 (under Matt Rhule!), and a post-bye loss to the Saints, a team that I have slated for the No. 2 pick next year."Conor Orr
It's a sign that things are still hanging precariously for the Panthers. Their encouraging strides over the second half of 2024 represented a step in the right direction. But make no mistake, that will be a distant memory if Carolina cannot build upon this momentum.
There is a different feel around the Panthers these days. There is purposeful confidence, and everyone is following quarterback Bryce Young's lead. Canales looks more comfortable in Year 2, and the players are eager to prove that Carolina is no longer the laughingstock walkover of years past.
Nobody is expecting the Panthers to be hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy at season's end. However, every team that plays them this season will know they've been in a game; win, lose, or draw.
Just how many more wins that'll bring is anyone's guess. But as long as the Panthers show more fight and develop positively, that's all fans should ask for at this stage of their rebuild.