NFL analyst says Carolina Panthers 'ready to make the leap'

From the quarterback, to the coaching staff, to their offseason player additions. One football writer says there’s plenty to like when it comes to the Panthers.

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It’s been far too long since the Carolina Panthers were a playoff participant. The team hasn’t reached the postseason since 2017, and haven’t won a playoff contest since beating the Cardinals in the 2015 NFC title game.

Led by general manager Dan Morgan, the franchise tweaked the coaching staff, got off to a quick start during free agency, and wound up drafting eight players in late April—four on both offense and defense.

James Dator of SB Nation listed plenty of positives for Dave Canales’s squad in his evaluation of the club’s 2025 offseason.

“The Carolina Panthers are ready to make the leap,” proclaimed Dator. “Obviously the team was bad in 2024, because you don’t find yourself picking inside the top-10 if you’re good—but there was a ton of promise down the back stretch with the team finally finding its groove after the bye week, pushing the Chiefs, Eagles, and Buccaneers into narrow, one-score losses.”

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers] head coach Dave Canales talks with referee Dave Hawkshaw against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Panthers won four of the final nine games, and their second-year quarterback was a major factor. “Bryce Young is the nucleus of this turnaround. By now his early-season benching has become a constant talking point, because rookie head coach Dave Canales ended making the perfect choice to ground his second-year quarterback and save his career. A confident, playmaking Young emerged at the close of the season to give Panthers fans hope that the franchise is ready to make big strides in 2025.”

All told, the longtime writer assigned Carolina an A-minus for their work over the last few months. “The goal for the Carolina Panthers this offseason needed to be ‘stay the course,’ added Dator. “Simply build on the path they were on, fix some areas on defense, and hope the trajectory stays. Every decision was done with that in mind, and the organization achieved that…Tentatively the future looks very bright in Carolina, now it’s about seeing if this team can execute.”

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