They've gotten worse

[hepcat]

5 minutes ago, countryboi said:

its no way they are worse, they moved from being the worse defense in the history of the NFL to being like 20th. 

Exactly. There's no way they will be worse than last year with even minor improvements on defense. 

But it's a small market team that has been very bad for a long time so the AI bots generating these articles are incapable of projecting improvement.

Plus Bryce finally started showing semblance of being a competent NFL QB late in the season. 

[CPcavedweller]

19 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Yeah, parting ways with Thomas and Sanders is classic roster addition by subtraction. They can be replaced for a lot less cap space with waiver wire FAs or day three draft picks.

That's not addition by subtraction. That's girl math. 

[CPcavedweller]

2 hours ago, hepcat said:

Exactly. There's no way they will be worse than last year with even minor improvements on defense. 

But it's a small market team that has been very bad for a long time so the AI bots generating these articles are incapable of projecting improvement.

Plus Bryce finally started showing semblance of being a competent NFL QB late in the season. 

Journalism is dead. That much is for sure. People go to school to learn about journalism, then write on other topics, which seems backwards to me; or at least they used to write. now they enter their prompt into algorithmic coding bot ChatGPT and get an article.

AI does not exist, by the traditional definition. Defintion was changed a few years ago to market to businesses and eventually consumers. It's just algorithmic coding.

[Navy_football]

3 hours ago, hepcat said:

Exactly. There's no way they will be worse than last year with even minor improvements on defense. 

But it's a small market team that has been very bad for a long time so the AI bots generating these articles are incapable of projecting improvement.

Plus Bryce finally started showing semblance of being a competent NFL QB late in the season. 

Agree.

Offense: If Bryce can maintain, then you can confidently say that Sanders, Coker and Xavier will be better than they were as rookies. The oline will be better as they've had more time to gel with no turnover in personnel. Improvement at backup RB. Chuba could go down and they wouldn't miss a beat. Consistency in HC and OC. 

Defense: Safe to say they've improved Safety, pass rush and run defense. Not saying they'll be great in any of those areas, but barriing injury (I know, I shouldn't even say that) they'll be greatly improved. Better play at NT and DE will improve ILB play and pass rush. Especially when Shy isn't getting bulldogged 5 yards back. Pass rush helps coverage for CBs and Safeties, so they should be better too. 

Football has and always will be the ultimate team sport. Can't look at anything in a complete vacuum. Except special teams. Kickers are on their own. 

[UnluckyforSome]

19 hours ago, frankw said:

Actually being worse seems highly unlikely.

Only improving marginally however is a very real possibility with this franchise. If you know the Panthers in and out then you know this. How many offseasons have we "won" in the past? Can't blame anyone for wanting to see results first. That's just the reputation that has been created under this ownership.

I think this probably closer to the truth. As fans, we are often invested to the point that our expectations are unreasonable. I believe it was here that someone wanted to argue with me how Hayden Hurst would be a meaningful pickup and he was player on the verge of breaking out.

With that in mind, I think that may be the driving force behind information like this. Did we add any impact pieces? Did we get significantly and measurably better at any spot? Did we just tread water a bit and complete a zero sum exercise in +1/-1? I think the Rico signing might be the biggest potential impact we made, especially considering the potential production in regards to the player replaced., but nothing is for certain.

 

[mrcompletely11]

21 hours ago, frankw said:

Actually being worse seems highly unlikely.

Only improving marginally however is a very real possibility with this franchise. If you know the Panthers in and out then you know this. How many offseasons have we "won" in the past? Can't blame anyone for wanting to see results first. That's just the reputation that has been created under this ownership.

The demented side of me wonders what Tepper does if we only win 5 games next year.  That said I think we hit 7/8 rather easily

[t96]

21 hours ago, frankw said:

Actually being worse seems highly unlikely.

Only improving marginally however is a very real possibility with this franchise. If you know the Panthers in and out then you know this. How many offseasons have we "won" in the past? Can't blame anyone for wanting to see results first. That's just the reputation that has been created under this ownership.

We have not historically been a team that many considered to have "won" any offseasons. Most of the years we were really good were pretty unexpected and the years we sucked were fully expected. Pre-Tepper we were a much better team than we got credit for -- media/fans would lump us in with the Bills, Browns, Lions, etc. of that era despite having 2 SB appearances and other playoff success (just not sustained). Since Tepper took over we are obviously the worst team in all of the 4 major sports and it's no secret either. We've been getting clowned on pretty much every year since Tepper fired Ron, so not sure what you're referring to in terms of "won" offseasons.

[Basbear]

On 3/26/2025 at 1:08 PM, Icege said:

Austin Mock's 2024 projection model was... interesting.

1. SF
2. KC
3. BAL
4. BUF
5. PHI
6. DET
7. DAL
8. MIA
9. NYJ
10. CIN
11. HOU
12. ATL
13. LAR
14. CLE
15. GB
16. LAC
17. SEA
18. JAX
19. LV
20. NE 
21. TB
22. PIT
23. MIN
24. NO
25. CHI
26. IND
27. TEN
28. DEN
29. ARI
30. NYG
31. CAR
32. WAS

 

After the top 6, Jesus its bad and sure they rode a rookie QB but 32 wash?? Same for 28 DEN. TB has won the division 4 years running, 21?? Jets, the J-E-T-S #9?? LOL@ Dallas 7th....

Feels like 10 year me made a list....

[frankw]

3 hours ago, t96 said:

We have not historically been a team that many considered to have "won" any offseasons. Most of the years we were really good were pretty unexpected and the years we sucked were fully expected. Pre-Tepper we were a much better team than we got credit for -- media/fans would lump us in with the Bills, Browns, Lions, etc. of that era despite having 2 SB appearances and other playoff success (just not sustained). Since Tepper took over we are obviously the worst team in all of the 4 major sports and it's no secret either. We've been getting clowned on pretty much every year since Tepper fired Ron, so not sure what you're referring to in terms of "won" offseasons.

The discussion is about how the fans perceive our moves versus what most talking heads think. I've lost count how many times the Panthers fanbase has thought we had a solid to great offseason only for the team to once again faceplant. That was the context I was referring to.

[UnluckyforSome]

6 hours ago, mrcompletely11 said:

The demented side of me wonders what Tepper does if we only win 5 games next year.  That said I think we hit 7/8 rather easily

I think we go back to square 1 on another multi-year rebuild. 

[t96]

16 hours ago, frankw said:

The discussion is about how the fans perceive our moves versus what most talking heads think. I've lost count how many times the Panthers fanbase has thought we had a solid to great offseason only for the team to once again faceplant. That was the context I was referring to.

ok sure but every single fan base has their share of over-optimists and doomers, Panthers fans are not unique in that regard

[t96]

20 hours ago, mrcompletely11 said:

The demented side of me wonders what Tepper does if we only win 5 games next year.  That said I think we hit 7/8 rather easily

Honestly if we only win 5 games I think he'd get rid of Canales and/or Morgan, showing yet again the fuging moron has no idea how to run an NFL team

[PNW_PantherMan]

Rhule only won 5 games two years in a row and still got at least the first part of year 3.  I think Tepper would give them one more chance to prove it.  If we win 5 or less games that means we probably need another QB.

[mrcompletely11]

28 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

Rhule only won 5 games two years in a row and still got at least the first part of year 3.  I think Tepper would give them one more chance to prove it.  If we win 5 or less games that means we probably need another QB.

not to look too far ahead but the 2026 qb class looks far better then 2025