The Carolina Panthers have earned some optimism, but they haven’t done enough to turn that into blind faith.
That’s the tension heading into 2026. Carolina is coming off a division-title season in 2025 and added to the roster, especially on defense.
Still, the Panthers are walking into a season that already feels heavier than it should. The expectations are real now, and so are the questions.
Saturday’s preseason game against the Bills offered only a small sample, but it did give Panthers fans their first look at Jaelan Phillips and Devin Looyd in Carolina uniforms. Those two were the bright spots in what was otherwise a rough day. It was a reminder that preseason can tease, but it can’t settle anything about what this team really is.
That uncertainty is exactly why CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo placed Carolina at No. 17 in his rankings of the least-to-most optimistic fan bases in the NFL. It’s a spot that feels fair on paper.
The Panthers did win the division, but they also won just eight games. That’s not the kind of résumé that buys total confidence.
DeArdo’s case for optimism is straightforward enough: the division title gave the fan base a boost, and there’s an expectation that QB Bryce Young will keep moving forward. Both ideas have some logic behind them. But the division title is already in the rearview mirror, and as any NFL fan knows, a team can fall from first to worst fast.
What stands out even more is the company Carolina sits above. Just behind the Panthers are the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, two teams projected to have top-five offenses in football this year.
On the surface, that might look surprising. But Carolina’s place in the NFC South gives it a cleaner path than teams stuck in deeper, tougher divisions.
That helps explain why 17th makes sense.
The problem is that the Panthers’ optimism has come with a pile of warning signs. Training camp has been defined by injuries, and some of them have hit hard.
EDGE Nic Scourton and rookie receiver Chris Brazzell II were both showing well before getting hurt. Scourton tore his ACL, while Brazzell tore his LCL and is done for the year.
Even Derrick Brown has dealt with minor injuries.
The injuries haven’t stopped at the young players. Chuba Hubbard was expected to be the lead back, but he suffered a hamstring injury on August 12th, which opened the door for Jonathon Brooks to start against Buffalo. That backfield still has to prove it can be steady, especially with Hubbard having been hurt in Week 4 of 2025 and Brooks having dealt with injuries throughout his career.
So yes, the optimism is real. But it needs to be measured.
Another division title is not a given, and Carolina’s schedule won’t make things easier. The Panthers face six teams that made the playoffs in 2025, and that doesn’t even include the Ravens and Lions, who are projected for strong bounce-back seasons.
That’s why the right level of belief probably sits somewhere in the middle. Carolina deserves confidence, just not the kind that ignores what’s already gone wrong. On a 1-to-10 scale, the Panthers’ optimism lands around a 4.5 or 5.
In Other News...
Panthers Depth Chart Just Raised New Questions About Key Roster Battles
The Panthers unofficial preseason depth chart offered a few hints about how the staff is sorting out the bottom of the roster as camp moves along. Wide receiver depth remains tied not just to receiving production but to special teams value, and the guard picture has been muddied by injuries, leaving several backups waiting for a chance to climb despite some encouraging showings.
At tight end, Darren Waller is still at the bottom of the chart for now because he has not yet played or practiced, which leaves his spot more about timing than evaluation at this stage. Elsewhere, Princely Umanmielen has turned in a solid run in a starting role, but he has not yet pushed past the current starter opposite Jaelan Phillips, a reminder that early preseason momentum does not always translate directly into a move up the board. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Framed The Panthers Problem Fans Keep Debating
ESPNs latest future power rankings offered a blunt snapshot of where the Panthers stand as they try to build beyond the present. Louis Riddicks projection for 2027 to 2029 slotted Carolina 23rd overall with a score of 74.7, and the numbers echoed a familiar theme for this franchise: there are pieces worth believing in, but not enough certainty to make the climb feel quick or easy. The roster outside of quarterback came in 25th, while the coaching staff and front office were graded more respectably at 16th and 20th.
The debate around Carolina remains centered on whether the organization can get enough steady play from Bryce Young and keep the offense from being undone by health issues up front. ESPNs analysts pointed to the teams defensive spending and the arrival of rookie Tetairoa McMillan as reasons for some optimism, but the bigger question still hangs over the offense. Until the quarterback play becomes more consistent and the line stays intact, the Panthers are likely to keep drawing the kind of mixed reviews that leave fans arguing about whether the arrow is really pointing up. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Send A Clear Bryce Young Message In New Mock Draft
With the draft still ahead and a mid-first-round pick in hand, the Panthers are once again being sized up for how they plan to support Bryce Young. Carolina already addressed one important piece by selecting Monroe Freeling, who has worked his way into a starting role before the season even begins, and now the focus in a new mock draft has shifted to a different part of the roster. The projection has the Panthers picking seventh overall in 2027 and turning to pass rusher Colin Simmons, a move that speaks more to building the defense than chasing another quarterback.
For a team that has spent plenty of time under the microscope at the games most important position, the bigger takeaway is what the mock leaves out. Even with a deep class of quarterbacks available later in the round, Carolina does not come off this projection looking like a club in a hurry to replace Young or force the issue early. Instead, the message is one of patience and roster construction, with the Panthers betting their next major swing should come on the edge rather than under center. [Read more 🡒]