Pete Prisco Thinks the Panthers Are So Much Worse After Free Agency

The NFL power rankings following the first week or so of free agency have not at all been kind to the Carolina Panthers. It's logical to think the Panthers, an 8-9 team that had a -69 point differential, aren't a true title contender.

But to think they deserve to be dropped from the last power rankings iteration when they've clearly improved is just silly. Yet, Eric Edholm of NFL.com dropped them a tiny bit in his newest ranking after the first wave of free agency.

So did Pete Prisco, a notorious and longtime hater of the Panthers. He dropped them more than a bit, though.

Panthers crater in NFL power rankings despite improving

Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the first half | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

It's almost universally agreed upon that the Panthers have gotten better. It doesn't matter how much you spend; when you add a top-two (three at worst) edge rusher, the best linebacker, and a top-two left tackle, you are better than before.

The Panthers lost Rico Dowdle and Cade Mays, replacing Mays with Luke Fortner. Dowdle's loss may sting, but it's not that consequential. And adding Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd more than makes up for it.

Yet, according to Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, the Panthers are now the 22nd-best team in the NFL. This is after being the 16th-best team the last time Prisco released his power rankings. It's downright diabolical.

"[They] spent big on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, getting pass rusher Jaelen Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Signing Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker to take over for the injured Ickey Ekwonu was a nice move," Prisco said.

Nothing negative was said, so it's really unclear why the Panthers dropped so much. Prisco did this, ironically, with C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans. He lauded their work up front but dropped them six spots.

Conversely, he bumped the Kansas City Chiefs, who may not even have Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 and won six games in 2025, up seven spots to pass the Panthers. He's also got the Dallas Cowboys higher despite admitting that "they didn't do a lot in free agency."

Carolina Panthers guard Damien Lewis (68) reacts during the game against the Dallas Cowboys | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

There's not a lot of logic on display here, but one thing is true: Prisco consistently talks down on the Panthers. He does not like Bryce Young (and he didn't like Cam Newton back in the day, either), and he's seemingly refusing to give the team due credit for improving.

Perhaps most shocking is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team Carolina went to the playoffs over, is ranked 13th. He also admitted that, like the Cowboys, the Bucs have done virtually nothing but lose Mike Evans.

Yet, they're up five spots and rank as the best team in the NFC South when they were clearly fading last year and got worse in free agency. We're all going to look back on this and laugh, but for now, it's maddeningly inaccurate.