Media Outlet (Writer) — 2026 NFL Projection

ESPN.com (Bill Barnwell) — miss playoffs

“Somebody had to win the NFC South last season. While the Panthers picked up impressive wins over the Packers and Rams during the regular season, they ranked either third or fourth in the division by most advanced metrics. They finished 25th in DVOA and won a three-way tiebreaker with the Buccaneers and Falcons at 8-9.

“I’m not sure any of the teams in the NFC South are good enough to separate from the pack, but after finishing first a year ago, the Panthers are facing the toughest schedule of any team in their division this season. They’ve also already been battered by injuries, with players such as Taylor Moton, Tershawn Wharton, Nic Scourton, Ikem Ekwonu and Chris Brazzell II already out before the regular season begins. It’s tough to feel really confident in Carolina at the moment, although it’s admittedly hard to feel that way about any of its divisional brethren, either.”

ESPN.com (Seth Walker) — miss playoffs, last in NFC South

“The Panthers will finish last in the NFC South. I remain mostly a nonbeliever in Bryce Young (and the Panthers, clearly, are unconvinced considering they haven’t extended him), and the offensive line has some serious questions between injuries and newcomers. Even though the Panthers brought in some defensive reinforcements in free agency, I could see this year going quite poorly for Carolina.”

Pro Football Focus (Gordon McGuinness) — “pivotal year”

“The Panthers are currently without both starting offensive tackles. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the wild-card loss to the Rams, while right tackle Taylor Moton is sidelined with blood clots. It remains unclear when either will return in 2026, but both appear likely to miss at least the start of the season.

“There is also the question of how far Bryce Young can take this team. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick is coming off his second consecutive season with a PFF grade above 70.0, but he has shown the potential to become a top-tier quarterback only in flashes. His 4.5% big-time throw rate in 2025 ranked tied for 19th among the 45 quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks. That level of production is manageable while Young remains on his rookie contract, but the Panthers will likely need to see more before committing to him beyond his fifth-year option in 2027.”

“I’m not sure I’m a believer in the Panthers just yet, given their uncertainty at offensive tackle, but they are still capable of winning this division about one-fifth of the time. I’m not very confident in any of these (NFC South) teams, so calling this the tightest division in the NFL is pretty spot on — even if it’s because it’s the worst in football.

“Last season, the Panthers claimed the crown after winning only eight games by emerging from a three-way tiebreaker. This season, I firmly believe eight wins could once again be enough for any of these teams to take the title. My model believes every NFC South team is a below-average NFL team, all sitting within two points of each other from a power rating perspective.”

The Athletic (Joseph Person) — 8-9 record

“I picked the Panthers to go 9-8 when schedules were released in May. But since then they’ve lost outside linebacker Nic Scourton for the season and right tackle Taylor Moton for a chunk of it, meaning the Panthers will enter Week One with new starters at both tackle spots, including rookie Monroe Freeling. That said, the defense will be better with the additions of Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd, and the Panthers play in the NFC South. So while (a 7-10 projection) might be a tad low, there’s a real chance an eight-win team claims the division again.”

The Athletic (Jacob Robinson) — 7-10 record

“This team improved by three wins in each of Dave Canales’ first two seasons and nearly upset the Rams in the playoffs. The Panthers had an impressive draft. I just don’t see this offense improving on last year’s 19 points per game (27th) given the offensive line shuffle and brutal injuries. A first-place schedule (third-toughest) doesn’t help.”

The Ringer (Sheil Kapadia) — 7-10 record

“I don’t think this is a good team. I don’t think this is a terrible team. The Panthers are just another squad that appears to be stuck in the NFL’s middle class. It’s possible that they’ll put out a better team than they did last year, even if the record doesn’t reflect it. If Young makes a leap or if the defense looks significantly improved, they could certainly win the division again. But a slight step back seems just as likely.”

Athlon Sports — possible playoff team

“The Panthers benefit from playing in one of the NFL’s weaker divisions, and they will have a real chance to win the NFC South once more. On defense, Carolina needs to prove it can disrupt opposing QBs more often. On offense, the left tackle question needs an answer, and Young needs to take a step forward in the first three quarters of games — he’s already good in the fourth. Jalen Coker has the potential to become a 1,000-yard receiver, and that would help take some of the pressure off Tetairoa McMillan. This is a potential playoff team once again and one that has more depth than it did a year ago.”

Other Panthers Predictions

Bucky Brooks (NFL.com analyst): 6-11
Chris Broussard (Fox Sports): last in NFC South
Brooke Cersosimo (NFL.com writer): 9-8
Scott Fowler (Charlotte Observer columnist): 9-8
Grant Gordon (NFL.com writer): 6-11
Danny Parkins (Fox Sports): 2nd in NFC South
Dan Parr (NFL.com writer): 7-10
Nick Shook (NFL.com writer): 5-12
Colleen Wolfe (NFL Media host): 8-9
Nick Wright (Fox Sports): last in NFC South
Lance Zierlein (NFL.com draft analyst): 8-9
Alex Zietlow (Charlotte Observer writer): 8-9