The 2023 season went about as bad as you could have imagined for the Carolina Panthers.
They traded away a haul to grab Bryce Young in the draft but surrounded him with no talent. They had a litany of off-field issues with owner David Tepper.
Overall, it was a very forgettable season in which the Panthers got the No. 1 pick, but it belonged to the Chicago Bears.
Carolina Panthers Futures Odds
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook unless noted otherwise.
Super Bowl Odds: +25000
NFC Odds: +12000
NFC South Odds: +1100
Win Total: 5.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
To Make/Miss the Playoffs: +500/-900
Panthers Offense
Per Next Gen Stats, Adam Thielen led the Panthers’ offense in average separation, ranking 65th out of 115 wideouts with at least 45 targets in 2023. Jonathan Mingo ranked 73rd, and D.J. Chark ranked 107th.
This team was notoriously terrible at separating. While Diontae Johnson only ranked 62nd in 2023 in separation, he is known for his route-running capabilities, ranking first in ESPN’s Open Score in the last three years.
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Another addition to the team is Xavier Legette. While his analytical profile points to him being a college bust, there were many personal circumstances that led to his late breakout.
There is still promise of him being a good NFL-caliber wideout for Carolina. Per PFF, the Panthers’ interior offensive linemen were responsible for 52% of pressures on Bryce Young, which ranked fifth-worst in the league.
Overall, the Panthers’ offensive line ranked 29th in the league in pressure allowed. The overhaul to the offensive line this year is much needed, especially considering Young’s size limitations.
The additions of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis should prove to be extremely valuable. Per TruMedia, Hunt ranked second in pressures allowed per game among every lineman with over 150 pass-blocking snaps. Damien Lewis ranked 117th out of 209.
Panthers Defense
Despite ranking last in takeaways, the Panthers’ defense managed a 22nd overall finish in defensive EPA per play. This was in large part due to their 13th-ranked pass defense, which saw defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero getting the best of his players.
Unfortunately, losing your best player, Brian Burns, is going to hurt. Burns ranked 11th in ESPN’s Pass-Rush Win Rate at the edge position, winning at a clip of 21%.
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They do still employ Derrick Brown on the defensive line, who ranked 20th at the defensive tackle position for pass rush and was the No. 1 overall defensive tackle in run stop win rate.
One of the more underrated additions to this defense is Dane Jackson from Buffalo. Jackson ranked in the top 15 in PFF grade at the catch point, which is basically how well a player does when the ball is thrown toward them.
One Betting Trend To Know
Since 2002, there have been 28 teams that have gone from last in their division to first in their division. That is an average of 1.33 teams per season.
Best Bet for Panthers in 2024
My best bet for the Panthers is to take the over on their wins. They have taken the necessary steps to improve the offense around Young, and I am a big believer in his talent.
If you want to go for more of a long shot that has huge returns and lots of potential, take the Panthers to make the playoffs at +500.