NFL Power Rankings 2020 preseason: Where do LA Rams fall?

Team 27 – Carolina Panthers (5-11)

The Carolina Panthers landed on the higher edge of their range in this power ranking. If they pull together quickly, they will win more games than expected. If they struggle early, this will be a very long season for the once-proud Panthers.

2019 summary

The Carolina Panthers had fallen from the lofty perch as perennial playoff performers, so they made sweeping changes across the organization.  The team is about getting younger, as LB Luke Kuechly retired, TE Greg Olsen signed elsewhere, and QB Cam Newton remains a free agent.

Players lost

The Panthers retired ILB Luke Kuechley, and then parted ways with CB James Bradberry, DE Mario Addison, DT Gerald McCoy, DT Vernon Butler, OG Greg Van Roten, TE Greg Olsen, DE Bruce Irvin, and OT Daryl Williams.  Whew!

Players added

The Panthers picked up WR Robby Anderson, QB Teddy Bridgewater, DE Stephen Weatherly, LB Tahir Whitehead, OG Michael Schoefield, and WR Keith Kirkwood. The team also drafted DT Derrick Brown, Edge Yetur Gross-Matos, S Jeremy Chinn, and CB Troy Pride.

2020 outlook

I’m not exactly thrilled with the Panthers’ exodus of talent from the defensive side of the ball. Its as though the Kuechley knew the score beforehand and didn’t want to babysit a defense filled with rookies this year. This is another team that looks to be far better on paper next year than this year. I’m not even clear why the team paid so heavily for QB Teddy Bridgewater, as this could very likely end up a segue for the team to draft a franchise QB in 2021.