Panthers predicted to break one of NFL's most dubious streaks in 2025

The Carolina Panthers haven't been to the postseason since the 2017 season. Picking top eight in the last two drafts, they don't seem poised, on paper, to end that drought in 2025. But football isn't played on paper, and on the field, they certainly look like they're at least on an upward trajectory.

They're on such a rise, in fact, that NFL.com ranked them as one of the six most likely teams to end their playoff droughts this year. Things are looking up, and Jeremy Bergman thinks they could be playing in January for the first time in eight years.

"Carolina hasn't won a playoff game since its run to Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 campaign. Back then, the Panthers were consistent contenders with Newton and Ron Rivera. Now, after a surprising late-season flourish from Bryce Young and Dave Canales' club in 2024, Carolina is a sneaky pick to get back to the playoffs in '25," Bergman said.

He added, "In the Panthers' favor: They added more offensive weapons for Young in No. 8 overall pick Tetairoa McMillan and former Cowboys RB1 Rico Dowdle. Carolina is tied for the fifth-easiest strength of schedule based on its opponents’ 2024 winning percentage. But standing in the Panthers' way are the four-time reigning division champion Buccaneers and a Falcons team that came this close to a berth in '24."

Bergman said this might be the season that Bryce Young puts it all together and the team finally gets that monkey off its back, but right now, it's difficult to tell if the lat-season surge was a fluke or a sign of things to come. It helps that the division is on the weaker side and Carolina put a lot of effort into filling the holes they had.