The 2025 NFL season has officially come to a close, though that was true for the Carolina Panthers a long time ago. The Philadelphia Eagles finished off the season with a stunningly dominant performance in Super Bowl LIX, cementing their status as the top dog this season.
Naturally, Philadelphia comes into the offseason ranked as the top team. They were great during the regular season and dominant in the playoffs, outscoring the opponents in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl by an incredible 50 points. How far away from their perch are the Panthers?
The Panthers get a frustrating ranking going into new season
The Panthers find themselves ranked 25th among all NFL teams after this year. After a 5-12 season and despite a 4-5 finish, ESPN's way-too-early power rankings were not very kind to Carolina. Reporter David Newton called this offseason "stable but needy."
He wrote, "For the first time in three years, the Panthers didn't make a change at head coach or general manager, which is key for a team that has been in constant turmoil. But there still are plenty of needs, from finding quarterback Bryce Young a dynamic receiver to upgrading a defense that finished last in total defense and run defense. The latter probably will be the highest priority."
The Panthers had a pretty awful defense last year and they don't have a ton of cap space to make it better. They were ranked ahead of teams like the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, but it's hard to feel inspired with this ranking.
However, teams can have miraculous turnarounds and defy rankings like these. For a good example of that, look no further than the 2024 Washington Commanders. The Panthers, now that they certainly have a coach in Dave Canales and a quarterback in Bryce Young, could emulate their shocking turnaround from last year.
