The Carolina Panthers surprised the football world in 2025. Almost nobody picked the Panthers to win the NFC South or make the playoffs, but that’s exactly what they did.
It wasn’t a perfect season by any means, but it was a positive step forward and showed that this team has a solid young core. Getting back to the playoffs won’t be easy in2026, though. The Panthers are unfortunate enough to have one of the toughest schedules in the entire league.
Today, we’re going to talk about what needs to go right for the Panthers to make the playoffs once again.
Win The NFC South Matchups
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As mentioned above, the Panthers have one of the toughest schedules in the league. The NFC South is still predicted to be a weak conference, though, so getting to play six games against the division could make a huge difference.
The Panthers have the talent to win every NFC South game they play. While that probably won’t happen, they at least need to win most of these games. Other than the divisional opponents, there just aren’t that many easy games on the schedule.
Bryce Young Takes a Step
Bryce Young did take a step forward in 2025. The quarterback had his best season as a pro, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. The quarterback needs to be even better in 2026, though, especially if the team plans on winning the division again.
This defense, now led by Devin Lloyd, should be solid in 2026. The ground game and pass-catchers should also be serviceable, which means Young is the biggest X-factor. If he launches himself forward into top 10 quarterback territory, the Panthers’ ceiling is limitless.
Pass Rush Thrives (Even Without Nic Scourton)
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The Panthers’ pass rush simply wasn’t good enough in 2025. Nic Scourton was one of the few bright spots, as he led the team in sacks as a rookie. Unfortunately, Scourton suffered a season-ending injury on the first day of training camp.
Now, the team is relying on free agent addition Jaelan Phillips to be elite. The Panthers certainly paid Phillips to be elite, so he needs to earn his paycheck. The team is also counting on either Patrick Jones II or Princely Umanmielen to take a major step forward.
The Panthers had a solid defense and won the division even with a mediocre pass rush in 2025, so if the unit is better in 2026, that can only be a positive.
Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn Need to Be Elite Again
In 2025, Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn were one of the best cornerback duos in the league. That duo combined for nine interceptions and 27 pass breakups.
If the Panthers get that elite level of production out of the duo again in 2026, you can rest assured this team will be competitive. Jackson and Horn made up for the lack of pass rush because it was very hard to throw on this defense. There’s not a ton of depth behind the two veterans, so they are crucial to this unit once again.
