When everybody used to expect nothing but failure from you, a lack of consensus is definitely a step in the right direction. That seems to be the case for the Carolina Panthers coming off their first division title in a decade.
While some analysts see the Panthers as a sneaky sleeper, others are betting hard on a regression in 2026. Apparently, you can count ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell
in the latter camp.In his latest piece predicting each of the 14 teams that will make the playoffs this year, Barnwell has the Panthers missing out. Here's why:
I'm not sure any of the teams in the NFC South are good enough to separate from the pack, but after finishing first a year ago, the Panthers are facing the toughest schedule of any team in their division
this season. They've also already been battered by injuries, with players such as Taylor Moton, Tershawn Wharton, Nic Scourton, Ikem Ekwonu and Chris Brazzell II already out before the regular season begins. It's tough to feel really confident in Carolina at the moment, although it's admittedly hard to feel that way about any of its divisional brethren, either.
It's tough to argue with Barnwell's logic. These Panthers are not deep enough to handle the number of important players that they have out at the beginning of the season—and getting off to a good start will be critical given the brutal stretch they'll face from Weeks 4 to 9, starting with the Detroit Lions in prime time.
Then again, it's not like there's a sleeping juggernaut in the NFC South just waiting to be woken up. The Panthers could conceivably still be in the race in December, even if they lose nearly every game during that rough second-quarter run—provided that they at least beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.
Bottom line—it's not going to be easy to repeat as NFC South champions, but don't write the Panthers off just yet.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN makes tough prediction for Panthers' 2026 season
