The Carolina Panthers came out of Dan Morgan's second recruitment period at the helm with credit. He identified problem areas and acted aggressively to fix some glaring issues. That doesn't guarantee success, but it's not a bad platform to make legitimate progress.
One NFL analyst agrees, tipping the Panthers to get close to securing their first winning record under David Tepper's ownership next season.
It's been a long time since the Panthers had anything genuine to cheer. Any success has been fleeting over recent years. It's been a downward spiral to rock bottom under Tepper's leadership, but things are starting to trend up.
Carolina Panthers projected to make legitimate strides after fruitful offseason
Morgan and Brandt Tilis helped bring professionalism and stability to the front office. Dave Canales rejuvenated the locker room culture. It wasn't perfect, but the strides made over the second half of 2024 were notable.
Aaron Leming from SB Nation held a similar opinion. The analyst placed Carolina among his most improved teams around the league this offseason. He outlined their flaws, but he's confident that the Panthers could finally get themselves above .500 for the first time since 2017.
"Although this is still a flawed roster, head coach Dave Canales showed this team was in good hands over the final eight games of last season. In a division with multiple deeply flawed teams, there’s reason to believe that a (tied for) worst-to-first finish is not out of the question. Especially if Young takes the next step in Year 3, this season will likely come down to how much the defense can improve. Still, with more offensive firepower and a better year from Xavier Legette, there’s no reason Carolina can’t be close to, or above .500 in 2025."Aaron Leming
It's still a precarious situation for the Panthers. Their fledgling stars need to improve. The team's defensive reinforcements must hit the ground running. Bryce Young must continue to evolve after making some outstanding strides once reinstalled into the starting lineup. Carolina's rookie class needs to make a lasting impact from the moment they step onto the field.
That's a lot to ask, and a clear run of good luck on the health front is crucial. But it's about time the Panthers had some good fortune.
Canales is confident. Morgan believes in this group. There's a different aura around the Panthers these days. If they can seize the initiative and build on some positive momentum, which has been in short supply over the last decade, this perennial struggler could start making headlines for all the right reasons in 2025.