NFL execs rank only one NFC team lower than the Carolina Panthers this year

The Panthers improved a lot on paper this offseason, but they're going to have to prove it on the field before the rest of the league gives them any respect.

Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) scores against New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

If the Carolina Panthers are ever going to start getting more respect from their competition, the only way to do it is to start winning games that they're expected to lose. In their season opener against Jacksonville, Carolina is a 3.5-point underdog. An upset there probably wouldn't do much, though - and most executives around the NFL still see the Panthers as a conference cellar-dweller.

According to a fresh batch of NFC power rankings at The Athletic voted on by league executives, the Panthers are the second-worst team in the conference going into the 2025 season. The highest vote they got was 9th place, and even he had serious doubts.

NFL execs still doubt Bryce Young

“I think Bryce Young will continue to ascend,” the voter ranking Carolina ninth said. “The big thing will be, can he mitigate the turnovers and not have those throws where you are like, ‘Man, you are too smart to make that type of throw.’”

This feels like a stale criticism of Young, though. In his final three games to finish the season Young didn't throw a single pick and put up 10 total touchdowns.

Here's the full list of how the executives voted each team in the NFC.

Full NFC power rankings

1. Philadelphia Eagles

2. Green Bay Packers

3. Detroit Lions

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5. Los Angeles Rams

6. Washington Commanders

7. San Francisco 49ers

8. Minnesota Vikings

9. Seattle Seahawks

10. Arizona Cardinals

11. Atlanta Falcons

12. Chicago Bears

13. Dallas Cowboys

14. New York Giants

15. Carolina Panthers

16. New Orleans Saints

Young did have some bone-headed throws, especially in his first two starts of the year - but he played much cleaner football after returning to the lineup midseason. His only truly ugly game after that came against the Dallas Cowboys, which saw Young cough up two interceptions and two lost fumbles.

It is fair to question Carolina's defense, though - and wonder exactly how much they have improved just one offseason removed from allowing more points and yards than any team in NFL history. Even if the Panthers make a dramatic jump on this side of the ball, odds are they'll finish no better than 25th in scoring defense, which is going to keep a low lid on their win total.

Even still we feel this ranking is too pessimistic. Given the opportunity, we would have put Carolina ahead of the Giants, Cowboys, Bears and Falcons, which would put them at 11th instead of 15th.

  - Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard being massively underrated by one analyst

5 huge predictions for Bryce Young’s 2025 season, including 35 TD passes

Best Carolina Panthers-inspired fantasy football team names for 2025

Xavier Legette reveals why Adam Thielen wanted trade to the Vikings