Of course, the best logo in the NFL is the Titans logo, but I definitely don't hate the Panthers' logo either. Pretty sharp indeed.
Coming in at #29 in my Power Rankings are the Carolina Panthers. I think fundamentally they are doing the right things to improve as a franchise but, by process of elimination, I believe this is the correct spot for them as things currently stand in the NFL.
The Panthers have a rookie QB, several new receivers in free agency and through the Draft, a new running back and a new head coach. That's after a bit of research. The Panthers just might be one of the more mysterious teams because of those new additions.
The Panthers added long-time Viking wide receiver Adam Thielen to their roster which is a solid move. Thielen has been making plays since 2014 and he will add a lot of skill and wisdom to that offense.
The Panthers replaced wide receiver D.J. Moore with another D.J. in D.J. Chark. Chark is perhaps more of a risky signing but I can't imagine he hurt their pockets too much. Chark did have a nice 1,000 receiving yard, Pro Bowl season in 2019, but his production has wavered since then. Chark turns 27 soon and so he's still young and I'm sure he's got plenty to offer still.
The Panthers also drafted an intriguing receiver in the second round out of Ole Miss in Jonathan Mingo.
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The Titans drafted a receiver from Ole Miss in the second round once upon a time. That man was A.J. Brown. Watching Mingo perform, they seem pretty alike....
Some pretty interesting receiver additions for sure! They also added Miles Sanders, and well I believe he's the 10th best back in football!
Of course then there's the new coach and new QB.
The Panthers selected Alabama QB Bryce Young with the number one pick in the NFL Draft in 2023. I'm nervous about Bryce's size as he seems to be only a little above 5'10". Still, that seems to be like the only thing about him that I'm concerned about.
Most short quarterbacks rely on scrambling a lot, but Bryce seems to be a willing and fantastic pocket passer which is great. He still is quite capable on his feet though and can easily maneuver in the pocket. He can scramble but, looking at his stats and watching some highlights, it's pretty evident that's more of a last option for him. He gets the ball out.
Also, Bryce isn't really built like a small QB if that makes sense. He doesn't appear stocky like Russell Wilson, or even Drew Brees for that matter. Bryce is sort of lanky and he stands tall and fearless in the pocket. I believe these are good traits.
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Then comes their new head coach in Frank Reich and, as a Titans fan I'll admit Frank is a pretty above average head coach all things considered. For five seasons, Reich had five different veteran QBs to deal with and he managed to compete fairly well and even made the playoffs twice. I bet he's pumped to have an actual younger possible franchise QB to work with finally.
The Panthers went 7-10 last season and that is a testament to their defense from what I gather. I guess it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. The Panthers used three different quarterbacks in 2022, not many teams win seven games in a situation like that.
If the defense can be as good or heck even better, and the Panthers offense can not be as bad as they've been the past few years, the Panthers could make a little noise. Maybe they can win more than seven games in 2023, a feat they haven't accomplished since 2017. If they do, maybe they can sneak into a wildcard spot.
On paper, there's some hope for the Panthers, but it's anyone's guess if everything will actually come together on the field. A lot of moving, unproven parts and what ifs, but I'm intrigued.
