Some believed the Carolina Panthers were poised to take a step forward in the 2023 season after selecting Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick. But they struggled, finishing with a 2-15 record. In 2024, the Panthers had a modest improvement, finishing the year at 5-12, thanks partly to better quarterback play from Young.
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Heading into Young’s third season, Carolina hopes to post its first winning record since 2017. To help the quarterback take the next step, the Panthers used their first-round pick this year on Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, giving him a big-play target on the outside.
The team also made key additions in the offseason, signing safety Tre’von Moehrig, running back Rico Dowdle, and linebacker Christian Rozeboom. The bolstered roster inspires confidence for sure. And one person who sees a turnaround coming is NFL talk show host Kay Adams.
On Up & Adams, she shared her list of the top five teams she expects to bounce back in 2025. The Panthers made the cut at No. 5. Adams believes Carolina will easily go above their projected win total (6.5) and could even sneak into the playoffs.
“Carolina Panthers, that’s correct,” Adams said. “They went 4-5 in the second half of last season. Bryce Young came alive down the stretch. Their win total is six-and-a-half, that’s crazy. Do I think that they could push for a wildcard spot down the stretch? I do, in the NFC South. Of course.”
The Panthers have the benefit of playing in what’s arguably the weakest division in the NFL. The NFC South produced just one winning team last season, and both the Panthers and Saints finished at the bottom with identical 5-12 records.
While a Super Bowl run is unlikely for a young team still in the early stages of a rebuild, the Panthers could be in the mix for the NFC South title, especially if the division remains as weak as it was last year.
But they certainly don’t have many believing that they are Super Bowl contenders. Young hasn’t had a Pro Bowl-like season, the wide receiver room is suspect, and they’ve been one of the bottom teams in the league since Cam Newton left them for the New England Patriots in 2020.
Kay Adams rounded out her list of turnaround teams with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 4, the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 3, the Chicago Bears at No. 2, and the New England Patriots at No. 1.
The Patriots, with Drake Maye in his second season and under the leadership of Mike Vrabel, could make noise this season. They signed a big-ticket free agent, Milton Williams, and added Stefon Diggs to their wide receiver corps, along with a solid draft.
