The NFL is an ever-changing landscape that can turn on its head at any given moment. The Carolina Panthers have been involved in those types of changes, whether it's the blockbuster trade for the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 or the trade that sent edge rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants.
Well, the league had its world turned on its head after the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Myles Garrett, in exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.
It is a move that has shaken the foundation and potential storyline for the NFL and the Panthers this season. An arms race in the NFC may have become futile before the regular season even started.
Carolina Panthers are trying hard to keep up with the NFC's heavyweights
The Panthers know that this upcoming season is their chance to position themselves in the pecking order for NFC supremacy. To be fair, there are things that must come together for the franchise to make that case, especially when they face several top-tier teams on their first-place schedule.
The fact that Carolina is being considered in a de facto arms race in the NFC should tell you all you need to know about their hopes for the 2026 campaign. They believe they can compete with the best. They beat the Rams once and almost did so again in the playoffs — but this is a different Los Angeles team now.
With Garrett and All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie on the roster, Los Angeles becomes arguably the unanimous favorite to win Super Bowl LXI. They have gone all-in on winning a championship this year, and that could pose a problem for a Panthers team that may have the goal of winning a playoff game or two under third-year head coach Dave Canales.
Canales' task just got tougher. While not directly facing Sean McVay's squad this season, the Panthers have to grapple with the fact that a healthy Rams team could go back-to-back in 2026 and 2027. They are that talented on both sides of the ball, and they don't care about money or future draft assets right now.
At some point, Canales and general manager Dan Morgan would love to be where the Rams are, where they can let loose first-round draft capital to acquire a franchise-altering player, knowing just how good they are. However, even at this stage of the Panthers' rebuild, that's not in their mindset, and it likely never will be until they know what they have in Bryce Young.
The Panthers might be some ways down the pecking order in the NFC arms race, certainly behind the Rams and Seattle Seahawks. The Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and even the Minnesota Vikings could be argued ahead of Carolina.
Should things go according to plan for Canales and Morgan in 2026, their team could be up there with the best of the best, including the (potential) new king of the NFL.
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