Not only did the Carolina Panthers lose 30-14 at home to a Cowboys team starting Cooper Rush at quarterback, but they did so while watching No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young turn the ball over four times. Had it not been for a long Jalen Coker touchdown, this game would have been a complete nightmare.
Fans hoping the Panthers end up with the best possible draft pick will be encouraged by this result, as it moves them closer to earning the No. 1 pick in the draft for what would be the second season in three years.
The Panthers are currently in possession of a top-five draft pick, and they could move up the order if a team above them starts losing. In a nasty season, there's some hope that better days are right around the corner if they end up staying hot to finish the season.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft order after Panthers lose to Cowboys
1. New York Giants (2-12)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
3. New England Patriots (3-11)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
5. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
6. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
7. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
8. New York Jets (4-10)
9. Chicago Bears (4-9)
10. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
Due to the strength of their schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders could be much worse off if they end up winning on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. The Raiders would fall all the way down to the No. 7 or No. 8 spot in the order, which would help Carolina jump up to No. 4 overall.
Despite some struggles from Young in the Dallas game, it seems unlikely that Carolina is going to use their top pick on a quarterback to replace him due to the dearth of quality options in this class. The Panthers are still in a position to draft immediate starters and game-changers like Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter or Michigan DT Mason Graham.
While it would be tempting for Canales to consider a quarterback, namely someone he could designate as "his guy" this high in the order, Young might be worth sticking with. With Dan Morgan's rookie class looking better as the season progresses, he has earned a bit of added confidence.
The Panthers' climb back to respectability will take a while, but this season has shown just enough flecks of positivity to keep moving forward.