Panthers power rankings season is in full swing, and nobody knows what to expect from the reigning NFC South champions. On the one hand, they finished the 2025 season with an underwhelming 8-9 record and only made the playoffs because they played in the NFL’s worst division. On the other hand, they went toe-to-toe with MVP Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round and even defeated them in the regular season. This team has a wide range of outcomes in the upcoming season, but Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport isn’t high on Bryce Young’s squad.
In a recent article, the NFL analyst ranked the Panthers as the NFL’s 20th-best team in the power rankings. While he acknowledges the team upgraded the talent on the roster, Davenport says there’s too much uncertainty at the game’s most important position.
“Of course, the Panthers 2026 season will largely be defined by the growth that [Carolina quarterback Bryce Young] does or doesn’t make. He played at an above-average level in 2025, but he still hasn’t quite established himself as a franchise quarterback,” Davenport writes. “Carolina is going to need one to fend off the rest of the division.”
Panthers Power Rankings: Carolina Comes In 20th In Latest Rankings
Nobody thinks the Carolina Panthers are destined for the Super Bowl, but this ranking feels a little low. After all, the team proved they can hang with legitimate contenders last year, and they’ve added starting-caliber players like Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd, and Lee Hunter to the defense. This isn’t the 2000 Baltimore Ravens by any stretch of the imagination, but it should be an above-average unit. The ultimate question with this team comes down to the quarterback position.
Bryce Young has done a remarkable job improving on an annual basis, but he’s not yet a franchise quarterback. After a disastrous rookie season in a terrible environment and a Year 2 benching, the former first-overall pick has shown signs of life over the past two seasons as Carolina has surrounded the young quarterback with legitimate pass-catching talent and one of the league’s better offensive lines. While 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette hasn’t worked out, 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan looks like a future superstar. Additionally, undrafted free agent Jalen Coker had a strong finish to the season and should be a solid WR2 moving forward.
Panthers Power Rankings ultimately don’t mean too much, as only time will tell how good this team actually is. However, it’s a fun way to pass the time while waiting for the games to start.
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – Imagn Images
