The Carolina Panthers are quietly confident they can make noise in the NFC South this season after years of propping up the division during their embarrassing freefall to rock bottom under David Tepper's ownership.
Second-year head coach Dave Canales laid down the gauntlet to the Panthers' adversaries, proclaiming that nobody will look forward to playing his team in 2025. Actions speak louder than words, but hopes are high that this once-downtrodden franchise is on the up at long last.
And one of Carolina's bitter division rivals is already staring a training camp nightmare in the face.
Carolina Panthers fans can only laugh at the Saints' quarterback conundrum
When one discusses the NFC South title contenders, nobody mentions the New Orleans Saints these days. Their days of dominance under Sean Payton and Drew Brees are long gone. They are currently going through a transitional period, which stems from head coach Kellen Moore's arrival and quarterback Derek Carr's bombshell retirement due to injury.
That left the Saints with just Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as their options under center. New Orleans drafted aging rookie Tyler Shough in the second round. But according to the reports emerging from training camp, the first-year pro is experiencing some legitimate growing pains.
All three quarterbacks are splitting first-team reps right now. The early signs suggest that Haener is in the driver's seat to start Week 1, although the Saints will probably take the right through the preseason before reaching their final decision.
Regardless of which way the Saints go, Haener, Rattler, or Shough aren't exactly going to strike fear into opposing defenses. And the Panthers' revamped defense under Ejiro Evero should be chomping at the bit to make things extremely uncomfortable for whoever Moore chooses as his starting quarterback.
Stopping running back Alvin Kamara is a different story. He's still got exceptional dual-threat traits that must be respected. The Panthers' run defense was nothing short of abysmal last season, so the concerns are evident. However, the reinforcements acquired this offseason, coupled with Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown's return to health, leave reasons for optimism.
All the Panthers can do is worry about themselves in their quest to become one of the league's surprise packages in 2025. But whatever in-division dysfunction they can benefit from along the way, the better their chances will be.