In the Spotlight: Carolina Panthers Look to Build on NFC South Title in 2026

The Carolina Panthers enter 2026 attempting to prove last season’s return to the NFL playoffs was the beginning of a sustained turnaround rather than a one-year breakthrough. Carolina finished 8-9 in 2025 but captured the NFC South, earning its first division championship and playoff appearance since 2017. The season ended with a competitive 34-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round. Quarterback Bryce Young remains at the center of the Panthers’ plans. The former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft produced career highs with 3,011 passing yards and 23 touchdowns last season, giving Carolina reason to believe its offense can continue improving under head coach Dave Canales.

What to Watch

Young’s continued development will be the biggest storyline. He’ll again have Tetairoa McMillan as his top target after McMillan produced 1,014 receiving yards as a rookie. Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks give Carolina options in the backfield, while free-agent addition AJ Dillon adds another physical runner. Carolina also brought in veteran tight end Darren Waller during training camp and added receiver John Metchie III earlier in the offseason. The Panthers invested in Young’s protection by using their first-round draft selection on offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. The bigger changes came on defense. Carolina signed edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, two additions expected to immediately strengthen the front seven. Veteran linebacker Bobby Okereke also agreed to join the Panthers just before final roster cuts, providing another experienced option in the middle of the defense.

Betting Outlook

Sportsbooks like FanDuel and Hard Rock Bet aren’t necessarily convinced Carolina will repeat as NFC South champion. The Panthers entered late August as roughly the third choice in the division, behind Tampa Bay and New Orleans. Recent NFL futures betting odds have Carolina at +310 to win the NFC South. The win total is 7.5, slightly below last year’s eight victories. The schedule presents some significant challenges, including Philadelphia, Green Bay, Baltimore and Minnesota, but Carolina also gets three of its final five games at home.

Key Team Details

• 2025 record: 8-9, first in NFC South; lost to Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in Wild Card round.
• Key players to watch: Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, Chuba Hubbard, Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn and Jaelan Phillips.
• Expected starting QB: Bryce Young.
• Key signings and additions for 2026-27 season: Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd, AJ Dillon, Kenny Pickett, John Metchie III, Darren Waller, Bobby Okereke and first-round offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
• Betting odds to win NFC South: +310 at DraftKings.
• Betting odds to win NFC: +3800 at DraftKings.
• Betting odds to win Super Bowl: +9000 at DraftKings.
• Win totals over/under: 7.5 wins; Over +115, Under -136.

2026-27 Carolina Panthers Schedule

Carolina’s schedule includes three national television appearances and a relatively early Week 5 bye.

Week	Date	Opponent	Location
1	Sept. 13	Chicago Bears	Home
2	Sept. 20	Atlanta Falcons	Away
3	Sept. 27	Cleveland Browns	Away
4	Oct. 4	Detroit Lions	Home
5	—	BYE	—
6	Oct. 18	Philadelphia Eagles	Away
7	Oct. 25	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Home
8	Oct. 29	Green Bay Packers	Away
9	Nov. 8	Denver Broncos	Home
10	Nov. 15	New Orleans Saints	Away
11	Nov. 22	Baltimore Ravens	Home
12	Nov. 30	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Away
13	Dec. 6	Minnesota Vikings	Away
14	Dec. 13	New Orleans Saints	Home
15	Dec. 20	Cincinnati Bengals	Home
16	TBD	Pittsburgh Steelers	Away
17	Jan. 3	Seattle Seahawks	Home
18	TBD	Atlanta Falcons	Home

Carolina enters 2026 with higher expectations than it faced a year ago. If Young takes another step and the defensive additions deliver, the Panthers should have an opportunity to remain in the NFC South race deep into the season.