NFL.com's projected win total for Panthers points to serious improvement

Would 7-10 be a good season in the NFL? No. Would it be a good year for the Carolina Panthers? Arguably, yes. They've won seven games in the last two years, so equaling that total in just one year would be an improvement. It might not be the improvement that some are expecting from Carolina, but things don't happen overnight.

Even with the Panthers playing in arguably the worst division in football, going from 5-12 to a playoff team in one offseason is an extremely tall task. Could they do it? Sure, but there's a better chance that they miss the playoffs once more. Nevertheless, improvement is a good thing.

If the Panthers did go from two wins to five and then to seven, it would show the kind of progression Panthers fans have wanted to see for a long time, and it would point to even greater things in the near future.

Cynthia Frelund analyzed and ran the numbers to come up with the seven-win total and said, "The Panthers are looking to build on their 2024 finish, when they won four of their final nine games, including two of their last three. Adding rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan to an offense that finished 23rd in scoring and 29th in total yards should help. Carolina's toughest stretch kicks off in late October, when they host the Bills in Week 8, travel to Green Bay in Week 9, play at San Francisco on Monday Night Football in Week 12 and host the Rams in Week 13 prior to a Week 14 bye."

The Panthers still have a historically bad defense that should be improved in 2025, but by how much? The offense will be good, as we saw them perform well down the stretch and they've added Tetairoa McMillan, Jimmy Horn Jr., Mitchell Evans, and Rico Dowdle. The defense, while it did get most of the additions this offseason, is starting from a much worse place.