Sophia
The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2025 NFL season with a renewed sense of optimism, despite a string of seven consecutive losing seasons. After a challenging start to his NFL career, 2023’s No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, concluded the previous season with a remarkable three-game stretch, showcasing significant improvement and offering a glimpse into his potential. This late-season surge saw Young throw multiple touchdowns in all three games, a feat he had achieved only once in his prior 25 starts. This promising finish has fueled speculation that Young is on the cusp of a breakout year.
To further support Young’s development, the Panthers invested their eighth overall pick in Tetairoa McMillan, a receiver with the potential to become a true No. 1 option. This move addresses a critical need, as Adam Thielen, who turns 35 this month, was the only Panthers receiver to exceed 525 yards in either of Young’s first two seasons. McMillan’s ability to establish himself as a long-term top target will be crucial for Young’s continued growth and the overall offensive output. While McMillan is the primary offensive addition, the team’s offensive line surprisingly performed well last season, suggesting a solid foundation for the passing game.
Addressing Defensive Woes
The biggest question mark for the Panthers heading into 2025 remains their defense. Ranking 32nd in the NFL in scoring defense in 2024, the unit was a significant liability. Carolina’s front office responded aggressively, committing $132 million in free agency to defensive players and dedicating draft picks in Rounds 2-5 to bolster that side of the ball.
Key defensive additions include Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown to the defensive line, joining Pro Bowl talent Derrick Brown. Patrick Jones will aim to improve the team’s edge rush alongside Day 2 picks Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Tre’von Moehrig, the recipient of the largest free-agent deal, is expected to step in as a new starter at safety. These moves represent a comprehensive effort to overhaul a struggling defense, and while the impact remains to be seen, the unit has nowhere to go but up.
2024 Season Recap & Offseason Moves
The 2024 season saw the Panthers finish 5-12, placing them third in the NFC South and extending their playoff drought to seven consecutive seasons. The defense struggled mightily, ranking last in the NFL in opponent points per game (31.4) and opponent yards per game (404.5). They also allowed a staggering 179.8 rushing yards per game, the most by any team since the 1987 Falcons.
However, Bryce Young’s late-season performance was a bright spot, as he recorded 10 total touchdowns and no turnovers in his final three games, a feat not seen since Drew Brees in 2019. This gives fans hope for a more competitive 2025 campaign.
2025 Carolina Panthers Offseason Review
- Lost: QBs Miles Sanders, Mike Boone; WRs Velus Jones, Deven Thompkins, Jordan Matthews; TEs Ian Thomas, Feleipe Franks; DL DeShawn Williams, Raequan Williams; EDGE Jadeveon Clowney; LBs Shaq Thompson, Cam Gill, Chandler Wooten; CB Lonnie Johnson, Dane Jackson, Caleb Farley; S Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller, Sam Franklin
- Added: QB Rico Dowdle; WR Hunter Renfrow, Brycen Tremayne; TE James Mitchell; DL Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown; EDGE Patrick Jones, Boogie Basham, Mapalo Mwansa; LB Christian Rozeboom; S Tre’von Moehrig
- Drafted: QB Trevor Etienne (4); WR Tetairoa McMillan (1), Jimmy Horn (6); TE Mitchell Evans (5); DL Cam Jackson (5); EDGE Nic Scourton (2), Princely Umanmielen (3); S Lathan Ransom (4)
Panthers Futures Odds and Betting Trends
Analyzing the Panthers’ historical betting performance reveals a consistent trend of falling short of their projected win totals. Over the last five seasons, Carolina has gone “Under” their win total four times, indicating that oddsmakers have consistently overestimated their potential.
Five-Year Futures Odds and Trends
| Year | Super Bowl Odds | Win Total | Result | Actual Wins | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +25000 | 5.5 | Under | 5 | 3rd, NFC South |
| 2023 | +8000 | 7.5 | Under | 2 | 4th, NFC South |
| 2022 | +12100 | 6.5 | Over | 7 | 2nd, NFC South |
| 2021 | +8000 | 7.5 | Under | 4 | 4th, NFC South |
| 2020 | +2000 | 5.5 | Under | 5 | 3rd, NFC South |
Historical betting data via Pro-Football-Reference.
2025 Carolina Panthers Futures Odds
| Odds to … | BetMGM | Caesars | DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go Over win total | 6.5 (-145) | 6.5 (-130) | 6.5 (-130) | 6.5 (-125) |
| Go Under win total | 6.5 (+120) | 6.5 (+110) | 6.5 (+110) | 6.5 (+105) |
| Win Super Bowl | +15000 | +12500 | +15000 | +12500 |
| Win NFC | +5000 | +6500 | +6000 | +5000 |
| Win NFC South | +425 | +440 | +450 | +410 |
| Make playoffs | +280 | +250 | +270 | +260 |
| Miss playoffs | -350 | -320 | -350 | -340 |
| Win No. 1 seed | +6600 | +5500 | +5000 |
Odds subject to change.
2025 Bryce Young Player Props
| Prop | BetMGM | Caesars | DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | +8000 | +10000 | +8000 | +10000 |
| Offensive POY | +10000 | +8000 | +20000 | +25000 |
| Most pass yards | +8000 | +8000 | +10000 | +5500 |
| Pass yards O/U | 3200.5 | 3150.5 | 3250.5 | 3200.5 |
| Pass TDs O/U | 18.5 | 17.5 | 18.5 | 18.5 |
Odds subject to change.
Reasons to Back the Panthers in 2025
After years of significant turnover, the Panthers are finally enjoying some continuity, especially after their strong finish to the last season. The addition of Tetairoa McMillan to the offense is a crucial upgrade, providing a much-needed boost to the passing game. The offensive line, which performed better than expected despite using three different centers in 2024, returns largely intact, offering stability for Young. This consistency up front should further aid Young’s development, building on his impressive late-season form, which included a five-touchdown performance in Week 17.
Furthermore, the Panthers’ 2025 schedule presents a favorable opportunity. They face only five games against 2024 playoff teams, two of which are divisional matchups against Tampa Bay. Crucially, they open the season with seven consecutive games against teams that missed the playoffs last year, none of whom finished better than 12th in scoring. This soft early schedule could allow the revamped defense to gel and build confidence, potentially leading to a much stronger start to the season.
Reasons to Fade the Panthers in 2025
The Panthers’ substantial investment of over $100 million in free agency for their defense highlights the unit’s dire performance last year. Unless these new players quickly integrate and perform at a high level, the Panthers risk having one of the NFL’s worst defenses again in 2025. Last season, Carolina allowed 66 more points than the next-closest defense, conceded 6 yards per play, and gave up 653 more rushing yards than any other team. They also allowed the most passing touchdowns and managed only nine interceptions. While new faces offer hope, none of the defensive additions ranked higher than 35th at their position last year, according to PFF, suggesting they haven’t acquired All-Pro talent.
Offensively, while Bryce Young showed promise late in the year, this was only a three-game sample size. Prior to that, he had a concerning 19 touchdowns to 19 interceptions, and his early 2024 struggles led to him being benched for Andy Dalton. Young still needs to prove he is the long-term answer for the Panthers, and if his performance doesn’t consistently improve beyond this three-game stretch, Carolina may find themselves looking at the strong quarterback class of the 2026 NFL Draft.
How to Bet the Panthers in 2025: Best Bets
Considering the historical trends and the significant defensive overhaul, the Panthers appear to be overvalued in the win total market. While the schedule offers winnable games, the overall talent level, particularly on defense, needs to elevate considerably to reach .500. Therefore, our top bet is:
- Under 6.5 wins (+122 at Caesars)
If you are optimistic about the Panthers’ ceiling and believe they can challenge the Buccaneers in the NFC South, a more appealing bet might be to take them to win the division at +440, rather than the heavily juiced Over for their win total.
Regarding player props, Tetairoa McMillan’s rookie season presents an intriguing opportunity. Of the eight receivers selected in the top 10 since 2018, only Rome Odunze failed to hit 800 receiving yards in his rookie year, and he was the least targeted among them. McMillan’s situation is more comparable to Drake London and Garrett Wilson in 2022, and given the current state of the Panthers’ receiving corps, he could see a high volume of targets, similar to Malik Nabers in his first year. We believe he has a strong chance to exceed 1,000 yards as a rookie (+275 at DraftKings), but a safer bet is:
- Tetairoa McMillan Over 795.5 receiving yards (-110 at BetMGM)
For more detailed insights into betting on the Panthers, including comprehensive Super Bowl odds, win totals, props, and best futures bets, you can refer to this authoritative CBS Sports article.
