NFL insider predicts Panthers to somehow regress despite easy schedule

The Carolina Panthers went 4-6 down the stretch last year. They did that with a quarterback fresh off a benching, some key injuries, and a historically awful defense. In 2025, all signs suggest that they're moving up in the world and will be better. A pretty easy schedule should help that.

One NFL insider doesn't believe they're trending up, though. In fact, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton thinks they're trending down. He made a prediction for all 32 NFL teams, and Moton thinks the Panthers will slide from 5-12 to 4-13.

This is despite the fact that, in his own words, the Carolina Panthers "saw what they needed for a glimmer of hope that Bryce Young plays up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick." He specifically cited Weeks 16-18 where Young was nearly flawless.

The only blip was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the offense as a whole struggled, especially the offensive line. Young completed 53.6 percent of his passes and took five sacks in that Week 17 game. Despite that, he graded out positively and was the lone bright spot in an otherwise horrible loss.

"In the upcoming term, Young will face four playoff teams from the previous season, including the division rival Buccaneers twice," Moton argued. "He'll also face the Seattle Seahawks, who won 10 games under defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald. Young still has a lot to prove against formidable defenses."

Of course, this take ignores the fact that Young has played and thrived against good defenses before. If we're considering the Buccaneers a good defense, which it seems Moton is, then Young had one good and one mediocre game (which is putting it a little more harshly than it was) against them. He also excelled against the Kansas City Chiefs and did very well against the Philadelphia Eagles.

"On defense, the Panthers added Bobby Brown III, Tershawn Wharton, and Tre'von Moehrig, but their pass rush is a question mark," Moton went on. "D.J. Wonnum is coming off an injury-riddled year, and the team cut Jadeveon Clowney. Can rookie second-rounder Nic Scourton make an immediate impact? If not, this is an uninspiring pass rush."

The Panthers had a dismal pass rush last year and an overall worse unit and still won five games, but Moton thinks the Panthers "stumble through head coach Dave Canales' second year," and even went so far as to say that he thinks they will be wondering if Young is part of their future.

It's a bold take to say that the Panthers, who won four of their last 10 games, added Tetairoa McMillan, revamped the defense, have more cohesion as a team with QB and coach now, and face the fifth-easiest schedule, will only win four games this year.