Panthers are biggest threat to Buccaneers’ supremacy in NFC South

With the exception of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have reached the playoffs each of the past five years and have a Super Bowl title to show for it, the NFC South has been pretty much a mess during this current decade. The New Orleans Saints have not made the playoffs since 2020, which happened to be quarterback Drew Brees’s final NFL season.

It’s been even worse for the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. Both clubs haven’t made playoff appearance since 2017. That happened to be a banner year for the division, when the Buccaneers were the lone exception when it came to the playoffs. These days, Baker Mayfield and company rule the roost in the end of NFC South. However, it has not been a very steady roost. The Bucs have won four consecutive division titles with marks of 13-4, 8-9, 9-8, and 10-7, respectively, the last two with Mayfield at quarterback.

With the exception of the Panthers, it’s been a fairly quiet offseason within the division. General manager Dan Morgan looked the bolster the league’s worst defense in 2024, and may have pulled it off with additions such as defensive tackles Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, safety Tre’von Moehrig, and emerging pass-rusher Patrick Jones II. On offense, the team now has two running backs who gained over 1,000 yards rushing a year in Chuba Hubbard and newcomer Rico Dowdle—late of the Cowboys.

Meanwhile, you could make a case that Atlanta (edge rusher Leonard Floyd), New Orleans (safety Justin Reid), and Tampa Bay (edge rusher Haason Reddick) each made one splash move in free agency to date. You could also make an even stronger case for the Panthers enjoying the best offseason within the NFC South.

Which brings us to momentum. It’s hard to get a gauge on the Saints and where they are headed. They were the last team to hire a head coach this offseason (Kellen Moore) and like Carolina, are coming off a 5-12 year. However, this was a club that opened with two resounding victories (by a combined score of 91-29) and then won three games the rest of the season.

Last offseason, the Falcons added a new head coach (Raheem Morris) and new quarterback (Kirk Cousins). A 6-3 start morphed into a 2-6 finish, and Cousins gave way to rookie Michael Penix Jr. He has a total of five games (3 starts) on his NFL resume.

Bryce Young in O — Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

As for the Panthers, their 4-5 finish from a year ago can’t be underestimated. They came a long way after 1-7 start, and second-year quarterback Bryce Young’s sudden resurgence had a lot to do with it. Simply put, while Atlanta and New Orleans at best appear to be treading water, you get the sense that Dave Canales’s club can’t wait to get back on the field.

Yes, there’s more moves to come, and an entire NFL draft. Of course, there’s also the elephant in the room in the Buccaneers. They’ve won five straight and nine of their last 10 meetings with Carolina. Who knows if this club is actually ready to challenge for a division title? At least for now, the Panthers appear to be a team on the rise, and Canales and company may have the Bucs looking in their collective rear view mirrors.

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