Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tim Weaver

Panthers No. 27 in ESPN’s way-too-early 2020 power rankings

The Carolina Panthers have a long way to go before they’re ready to compete with contenders like the San Francisco 49ers and the world champion Kansas City Chiefs. Looking ahead towards next season, Carolina might be one of the worst teams in the league, at least according to ESPN. They have ranked the Panthers No. 27 in their way-too-early 2020 power rankings.

That’s what happens when you finish 5-11 and have a ton of roster holes to fill and questions to answer. That said, we really don’t know what this Panthers team is going to be like under new coach Matt Rhule.

He faces a significant challenge trying to rebuild a team on the fly. However, that’s one of the best qualities Rhule brings to the table. In his previous stops at Temple and Baylor, he turned around two awful college programs and molded them into strong ones in just a couple of years.

Even if Rhule’s rebuilding wizardry translates to the pro level, he’s going to need a lot of help from his front office if this team is going to be competitive again anytime soon.

The 2020 free agency period and the upcoming NFL draft will be critical in determining how fast he can turn things around.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.