Why the Carolina Panthers May be Primed for Major Letdown in 2026

With the recent announcement of the 2026 NFL schedule, early predictions for the upcoming regular season keep pouring in. The league’s preseason begins in 81 days with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, which will feature the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers.

Moe Moton of Bleacher Report didn’t mince many words when it came to his 2026 prediction for the reigning NFC South champions. He has the club finishing a disappointing 6-11, which would mark the ninth consecutive losing season for the franchise. The longtime NFL writer cited a tougher schedule this season as one factor for the drop-off in victories.

A tough road ahead for Dave Canales’s Panthers

“In 2026,” explained Moton, “Carolina will play the AFC North and NFC North on a first-place schedule, which includes matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and the Seattle Seahawks. The club will have a much tougher 17-game slate than it had last year, which may lead to regression.”

It’s certainly not an outlandish projection. Dave Canales’s did make strides after a 5-12 campaign in 2024. However, the Panthers were quite inconsistent throughout this past season. They dropped their first two games, then closed out the season with three consecutive defeats—including a tough playoff setback to the visiting Rams. There was also a 10-game stretch in which the team alternated victories and defeats.

Carolina Panthers certainly made strides in 2025, but…

Moton mentioned that improving quarterback Bryce Young, 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, and this year’s offseason defensive additions of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and 2025 Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd. Nevertheless, he has Canales’s squad finishing third in the division behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) and New Orleans Saints (8-9) and one game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (5-12).

“The Panthers aren’t on the same level as the league’s top teams,” stated Moton. “We’ll see the gap between them and division-winning clubs from the previous season.”

Panthers at Patriots — Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Flashback to a season ago. Yes, Canales’s club knocked off the Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 9, and also defeated Sean McVay’s club during the regular season at Charlotte in Week 13. Then again, Panthers were also swept by the last-place New Orleans Saints. In fact, Carolina actually faced both conference champions from 2015 and were humbled by both the New England Patriots (42-13) and Seattle Seahawks (27-10).

Despite an offseason that has garnered a lot of positive reviews, Moton has the Panthers taking a step backwards in a division that has produced only one double-digit game winner (2024 Buccaneers finished 10-7) the past four seasons.

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