The Carolina Panthers are heading into training camp with a familiar problem: the record says one thing, but the bigger picture says something else.
They went 8-9 last season and still walked away with the NFC South thanks to a three-way tiebreaker. But Josh Kendall of The Athletic isn’t buying them as a true upper-tier team just yet. In his new pre-training camp power rankings, he slots Carolina 22nd in the league, and the reasoning is hard to argue with.
Kendall points to a team that finished the regular season on the wrong foot, losing three of its final four games. The Panthers also landed 23rd in scoring margin at minus-69 and sat outside the top 20 in both offensive and defensive EPA. That’s not the profile of a team ready to scare the rest of the league.
Carolina did spend the offseason trying to shore up the defense, and that was the clear emphasis. The front seven got a boost with big-money additions in pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, two moves the Panthers are hoping will move the needle on that side of the ball.
Even so, the offense still puts a cap on how far this group can climb. A lot hinges on fourth-year starting quarterback Bryce Young, and that’s where the uncertainty lives.
If the Panthers could count on the version of Young who showed up against the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles rams, the outlook would look a lot brighter. But over 45 starts in his first three seasons, Young has produced only eight games with at least 250 passing yards.
That’s why the ceiling feels limited right now. With Young still searching for consistency and a schedule that doesn’t look especially forgiving, a 9-8 finish might be the best Carolina can reasonably hope for.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Changed Course In Their Quarterback Plans
The Panthers quarterback room had seemed set after Will Griers retirement, with Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and Haynes King in place and the plan to roll forward with three arms in the room. Instead, Carolina altered course and added another veteran option, giving the staff a little more insulation and a different kind of competition heading into the next stretch of roster decisions.
Kyle Trask now steps into a group that already has a clear starter and two other challengers, which makes the backup picture worth watching as camp and preseason work unfold. The move also marks a noticeable shift from the teams earlier stance on staying put at the position, and it leaves the Panthers with a deeper, more crowded quarterback setup than they expected to have. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Finally Have Their Best-Case 2026 Backfield Story
The Panthers backfield picture for 2026 already has a familiar shape, with Chuba Hubbard still the established lead option and Jonathon Brooks trying to force his way into the conversation. Brooks remains the kind of talent Carolina can dream on if the health cooperates, which is why he stands out as the teams most intriguing breakout candidate in a speculative look around the NFC South.
Brooks has been back on the field for offseason work and into camp, and the early signs matter because Carolina does not need him to take over the backfield to make an impact. If he can stay available, there is a real path to a substantial role behind Hubbard, giving the Panthers a chance to turn a promising skill set into one of the more useful one-two punches in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Brooks Just Put Panthers Fans On Comeback Watch
Jonathon Brooks was back around the Panthers on the first padded practice of the summer, and just seeing him out there offered a reminder of how long this road has been. The running back spoke about his recovery work after knee surgeries, with Chuba Hubbard emerging as a steady presence through the process, and Brooks also sounded energized by the chance to be part of the teams next live action in the coming Hall of Fame Game.
There was a little bit of star power on the sideline too, with Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Ochocinco around practice, though Brooks missed his window to meet both of them. For Panthers fans, the more important sight was Brooks taking another step forward in a summer that has been about patience, rehab and the hope that his next meaningful football moment is getting closer. [Read more 🡒]