2023 Carolina Panthers Season Preview and Futures Odds
September 1, 2023
The Carolina Panthers were completely destroyed by the San Francisco 49ers as early as Week 5 which led to the team firing Head Coach, Matt Rhule. At the time, it seemed as if the season was over for the Panthers but they did everything they could to prove otherwise. Not only did they take down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 but also the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14 and the Detroit Lions in Week 16. All they needed was to face the Buccaneers once again in Week 17 and victory was a ticket to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they faced defeat (30-24) and their hopes were dashed. Steve Wilks was named head coach for the remainder of the season after Rhule left and as much as the players wanted Wilks to be head coach full-time, he moved on to the 49ers and the Panthers hired Frank Reich.
They went into the offseason with a new coach and new plans to upgrade and improve their team. They didn’t have that bad of an offseason but it could have been better.
It was the 2023 NFL draft where the Panthers made the boldest move of the offseason. They did whatever they could, including trading wide receiver D.J. Moore to Chicago, in exchange for the first overall pick. This was all for Quarterback Bryce Young, which had a lot of risk to it but they believed that he is capable of turning the franchise around. He is an outstanding quarterback with a great record and definitely worth the risk. Now, having lost Moore, they needed a young player to replace him and they chose Jonathan Mingo for the job in Round 2.
In free agency, the Panthers paid attention to all the veteran skills position players. On the defense, former Cincinnati player Vonn Bell was signed. Other signings included D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen, both great players if they stay on the field, considering they have struggled through injuries quite a lot in the past. Running back Miles Sanders also made it to the Panthers this time around and he will surely be an asset on the field, coming off the best season of his career.
The team focused on most parts of the roster except for their cornerbacks. Although they have many options, most of them don’t have their best foot forward at the moment. This would include 2021 first-round pick Jaycee Horn, an injured Donte Jackson and Keith Taylor. If none of them are doing their best during camp, the team might need to look for another player which may become an issue. Apart from that, we are looking at a very talented roster for the upcoming 2023 season.
For the upcoming season, the Carolina Panthers may possibly be potential contenders and a very accomplished Young will strive to make that happen. They have a great roster and are at an obvious advantage looking at the shortcomings of the NFC South. Fans are eager to see what the team is capable of accomplishing this year.
2023 Panthers Betting Odds
Division Champs +500
Conference Champs +3300
Super Bowl +8000
Total Wins over Under 7.5
Analysis
7.5 wins seems like a stretch for a team with a brand new rookie QB and a coach they just hired off the street. Under 7.5 wins should be good to go
