The Carolina Panthers are no longer the league's laughingstock. There is stability and professionalism across the franchise after years of dysfunction. That doesn't guarantee success, but it's leading to more hope.
Dave Canales finally got a tune out of his players as the 2024 campaign went on. The Panthers were more competitive and pushed some leading Super Bowl contenders right to their limit. And they did this with a historically bad defense that couldn't stop anybody.
Improvements have been made this offseason. The Panthers kept their core intact and maintained continuity among the coaching staff. There's also the small matter of quarterback Bryce Young showing the traits Carolina hoped for when they took a massive gamble at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It remains a precarious situation. At the same time, the Panthers might have enough to become the surprise that most teams don't see coming next season if everything goes according to plan.
Realistic 2025 outlook would still mean progress for Carolina Panthers
Matt Verderame from Sports Illustrated thought the Panthers' realistic outlook lay somewhere in between. The analyst thought reaching around the .500 mark and finishing second within the division should be enough for things to keep trending in a positive direction.
"While Carolina is still rebuilding, more pieces are in place. The Panthers were a tough team to beat during their final nine games in 2024, scoring an average of 24.1 points per game, which over the full year would have ranked 11th in the league. If the Panthers can approach the .500 mark and challenge for second place in the NFC South, that would represent a significant step toward becoming a playoff team in 2026."Matt Verderame
This will disappoint those who believe the Panthers can achieve much more. Even so, it represents another step forward within Dan Morgan's long-term plan for sustained growth.
The foundations are being laid for brighter days. Carolina has some outstanding young pieces. They have some core franchise cornerstones to build around. If the defensive investments pay off immediately, it would be a big surprise if legitimate progress didn't arrive.
Getting off to a strong start is crucial. The Panthers have a good chance to lay down an early marker before things get more difficult later in the campaign. Momentum is everything in the NFL, so there's just no telling where a few confidence-boosting wins right out of the gate could take Canales' squad.
It's been a long time since the Panthers were relevant. That might not be the case for much longer.