Do you agree with this grade for the Carolina Panthers' 2025 season?
The Carolina Panthers went 8-9 this season in Year 2 of the Dave Canales era. They won the NFC South and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
Carolina faced the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round and put up a good fight, losing by only three points, 34-31.
Although the Panthers finished with a below .500 record, NFL analyst Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report gave the franchise a positive grade for the 2025 season: B-.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves based on that somewhat flukey playoff berth in a terrible division," Gagnon wrote. "Carolina's minus-69 scoring margin is the fourth-worst points differential total for a playoff team in NFL history. This remains a rebuilding team, and it really still could go either way for quarterback Bryce Young. Still, progress was made in 2025."
The Panthers were 27th in the NFL in points per game and 15th in points per game allowed this season. Young and the offense must be much better next season for Carolina to take the next step in its development.
Young finished the 2025 season with 3,011 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
During his end-of-the-season press conference, Panthers President of Football Operations and General Manager Dan Morgan was asked to speak about Young's 2025 campaign. Morgan said he liked what he saw from Young, whose fifth-year option will be picked up.
"I would say if you look at Bryce on a day-to-day basis out there, his work ethic, his ability to command the huddle out there, take control of the line of scrimmage, make the proper checks, make the proper protection calls, and then really having that translate into Sunday or Saturday or whenever we play," Morgan said.
"I just felt like he had a lot more command out there this year. Really just kind of like coming into his own and getting better every week. You know, just attacking every day. That's really all you can ask for just from any player, let alone your quarterback."
Young was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Carolina uniform.
Young hasn't been consistent enough to earn an extension from the Panthers. He needs to play well again in 2026 to earn one.
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