The Carolina Panthers can only watch on with envy as teams around the league compete in the playoffs. However, the strides made under new head coach Dave Canales in 2024 hint that it might not be much longer before they're in contention to make the knockout rounds.
Nobody is getting ahead of themselves. The Panthers are devoid of quality and don't have enough depth across the roster. One cannot be anything other than impressed with how competitive they were more often than not over the second half of 2024. But making the moves needed to take the next step is critical.
General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales have a plan in place. This is getting the right time and support from team owner David Tepper, who's willingly gone into the shadows and trusted them to run the football operation as they see fit.
Carolina Panthers tabbed as potential playoff team in 2025
There's no substitute for stability and continuity. They've been in short supply for the Panthers under Tepper's ownership up to now. Things have changed for the better and fans are enthused about what's ahead for the first time in years.
This was a sentiment echoed by Jeremy Hanna from Newsweek. The analyst placed Carolina among five non-playoff teams who could go one better in 2025. Bryce Young's emergence into a potential franchise quarterback is a big reason why.
"The Carolina Panthers were supposed to be the worst team this season, much like they were last season. While there are definitely sections where they can make an improvement, specifically the defense, the Panthers have shown in the latter half of the season that they can play with the best of them. After a rough start, quarterback Bryce Young showed that he is the future of Carolina by completing 197 passes for 2,104 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushing for five touchdowns in his last 10 games. On top of that, Carolina has running back Chuba Hubbard, who rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns. If they get their defense and offensive line figured out, the Panthers can be a dangerous team in the NFC South."Jeremy Hanna, Newsweek
If the Panthers want to enter postseason consideration next season, Morgan needs to hit his second recruitment period out of the park. The Panthers can free up additional funds to be aggressive in free agency should they wish. Having nine draft picks in 2025 also provides a sense of flexibility — whether that's over the selection weekend or spending capital on a trade if the right opportunity comes along.
The time to strike is now. Momentum is building. The Panthers have already wasted two years of Young's rookie contract. Morgan consolidated during his first offseason, but that won't suffice this time around.
Young emergence makes the Panthers an attractive destination of sorts. This isn't the toxic environment of old — there's purpose and professionalism when once there was nothing but chaos. If Morgan can find the right recruits and Canales continues to develop those already around, Carolina could be a dark horse in 2025.
It could go the other way and often has for the Panthers in recent years. But this time just feels different.