Carolina Panthers ceiling and floor for 2023

With the regular season kicking off Thursday, we're dusting off our earlier guides on the ceilings and floors of each team in the NFL.

Here's what we said about Carolina back in June. Let's examine what's changed: 

Ceiling: 7-10 (original: 9-8)

The Bryce Young era might take time to get off the ground. Young was shaky in the preseason, although he looked his best in Carolina's finale at Detroit, going 7-of-12 for 73 yards and a touchdown, his first (and only) of the preseason.

Only 21 rookie quarterbacks have started at least 16 games in their first season in the NFL since 1950, with Dak Prescott (13 wins) having the most success. Generally, however, rookies struggle in Year 1. On average, full-time rookie starting quarterbacks have a completion percentage of 60 percent for 3,486.9 yards (6.8 yards per attempt), 18 touchdowns and 14.7 interceptions with a passer rating slightly above average (79.97), while piloting their teams to roughly seven wins.

Floor: 5-12 (original: 7-10)

Injuries have hit the wide receiver room hard in Carolina, with D.J. Chark (hamstring), Terrace Marshall Jr. (back) and Laviska Shenault Jr. (concussion) missing time. The offense will likely be a work in progress throughout Young's first year, putting a cap on what the team can accomplish.

If the offense struggles as expected, Carolina will find itself without many easy wins. With a rookie quarterback potentially going through growing pains, it likely won't be on the right side of many close games, increasing the possibility that this is a lost season in Charlotte.