The Panthers aren’t going to be a playoff contender this year, assuming there is a season. Our prediction is that the team will go 6-10, which will probably put them in last place in the NFC South again but also keep them out of the running for the top quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL draft.
Things can get worse, though. If the team suffers serious injuries or gets unlucky, they can certainly lose more than six games.
According to Pro Football Focus, their worst-case scenario for Carolina has them going 4-12 this season, thanks mostly to glaring issues in coverage at the cornerback and linebacker positions. Here’s what they had to say about this possibility.
“The defense just can’t stop anyone. Donte Jackson (55.6 overall grade in 2019) and Eli Apple (63.8 overall grade in 2019), with little in the way of depth behind them, get picked apart by some of the league’s best wide receivers in the NFC South. There is a glaring Luke Kuechly-sized hole in the middle of the field, as well ─ something that can’t be filled by Tahir Whitehead and his 14 receiving touchdowns allowed since 2018 (six more than any other linebacker).”
On the other hand, their best-case scenario has the Panthers going 9-7, powered by a breakout year from D.J. Moore and solid contributions from the other wide receivers with Teddy Bridgewater and Joe Brady running the show.
If that’s going to happen, they’ll need their new-look offensive line to exceed expectations and Phil Snow will have to show some true schematic genius.
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