Panthers Earn Solid and Accurate Grade For Offseason Work

Panthers' offseason was a success, but not a booming one, according to one NFL analyst

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The Carolina Panthers' offseason is a success on paper. Carolina clearly sees a window to compete in the NFC South and become a consistent playoff team, and operated as such this offseason. Every time Carolina made a seismic move, whether in free agency or in the NFL Draft, there would be grades thrown at each signing.

As far as the entire offseason, though, the Panthers have flown slightly under the radar. Carolina isn't a bona fide favorite for the division title or to make the playoffs. With that being said, what does the national media actually think of the Panthers' offseason? One NFL analyst answers that question.

NFL Analyst Gives Panthers a Fair Grade

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ESPN's Seth Walder dropped his list of grades for every NFL team's offseason thus far. When bringing up the Panthers, Walder certainly was fair, giving Carolina a B for the offseason.

When elaborating on the Panthers' offseason, Walder used three points to explain why he landed on a B, the biggest signing, what he liked, and what he didn't like. Starting with the positive, Walder liked that Carolina didn't extend Bryce Young.

Young being extended would've been the Panthers jumping the gun with him. Despite clear improvement and big moments in year three, Young signing an extension would signify that Carolina is all in on him for the long term. After an 8-9 record and still some shaky moments, Young hasn't earned that extension yet, so Walder is spot on in that regard.

Grade is Correct, Reasons are Incorrect

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Landing on a B isn't wrong; the Panthers aren't catapulted into immediate Super Bowl contenders. The only way Carolina could've gotten an A or higher is if they did enough to leave no doubt that they'll be one of the preseason favorites.

Walder did get one aspect of his grading process wrong, though, and almost acknowledges it in his explanation. In the "Move I Disliked" portion of his grade explanation, Walder isn't as fond of the Devin Lloyd signing. Devin Lloyd was a second-team All-Pro in 2025, yet Walder looked at Jacksonville not playing him for every snap as a red flag.

Carolina had to upgrade their inside linebacker, and got the best one available. Not only was signing Lloyd a necessity, but Carolina got him for a bargain, paying him just $15 million per year. Lloyd's projected value after the season was roughly $20 million annually.

The biggest concern should be Jaelan Phillips, not Devin Lloyd. Walder does explain the catch with Phillips, but doesn't feel it's as dire a concern as Devin Lloyd's snaps. Injuries are the No. 1 concern in football, and Phillips has had two of the worst injuries a player can have: a torn Achilles in 2023 and a partially torn ACL in 2024.

Carolina's defense has the talent to be a top 10 unit, but that's just on paper. The Panthers' defense improving will be the catalyst for another NFC South title.