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The year 2020 wasn’t very kind to the Carolina Panthers, who saw many players depart from the team. One of the first was long-time quarterback Cam Newton, who the team was moving on from. One of the others that came as a shock was linebacker Luke Kuechly announcing his retirement.
Head Coach Ron Rivera moved to Washington to coach the Washington Football Team. This left the Panthers without many familiar faces and a first-year head coach in Matt Rhule. Rhule did as best he could with the pieces he was given in 2020. Unfortunately, the team matched their 5-11 record from the previous year. The team went through their quarterback carousel all year.
Questions surrounding Teddy Bridgewater’s ability as a starter kept the team in a state of disarray. Now, with Bridgewater gone and more moves being made in the offseason, the Panthers get ready for 2021. The question now is, can you make any money at the sportsbook off Carolina?
2021 Carolina Panthers Futures Betting Odds
Carolina Panthers Super Bowl Champion Odds: +8000
Carolina Panthers NFC Champion Odds: +2500
Carolina Panthers Win Totals Odds: Over 7.5 (+100) / Under 7.5 (-130)
Carolina Panthers NFC South Champion Odds: +1000
If the Carolina Panthers ended up making the playoffs in 2021, it’d be quite the turnaround. Even more shocking would be them winning the NFC Championship. One thing you’ll have to remember is this team isn’t in shape to go the distance yet.
They have a bright future with a lot of young talent, but they’re being overshadowed in the division. Remember, the NFC South houses the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only them but the New Orleans Saints, who have dominated the division for years.
The Panthers need to first find their identity before thinking about playoff runs. They need to settle into who they want as their starting quarterback as well. The head coach is still unproven, so a bad year could mean the end of his time there.
These are all things that a team has to commit to before becoming a playoff contender. As it stands, the Carolina Panthers have a long way to go before they find themselves in the NFL Playoffs. Perhaps in the next three seasons, they’ll have a better shot.
2021 Carolina Panthers Offseason Grade: B+
Key Additions: (QB, Sam Darnold), (CB, Jaycee Horn), (DT, DaQuan Jones)
Key Departures: (QB, Teddy Bridgewater), (DE, Stephen Weatherly)
The Carolina Panthers are receiving this grade not necessarily due to “big” signings but plenty of signings. They weren’t in the mix for any of the notable free agents, but they did land Sam Darnold in a trade. Their plan with Sam Darnold is to give him a fresh start with a new team.
A team that’s looking for a quarterback to lead them for years to come. This is really a great move for both parties. Darnold should perform much better in Carolina than he did in New York with the Jets.
Losing Teddy Bridgewater won’t hurt the Panthers much on the field, but it’s a loss for the locker room. Bridgewater is known as the guy that keeps everyone’s spirits up no matter where he is. If you think that it’s an insignificant loss, you’re wrong because that kind of player does a lot for morale. Hopefully, we’ll see Darnold step into that role and rally his teammates to one cause, winning.
Carolina Panthers 2021 Preview
The Carolina Panthers will spend 2021 ironing out the kinks in their team. This will be the second year under Matt Rhule, so we’ll get to see if he has a better handle on the team. They’ve got a new starting quarterback, who we’ve yet to see actually control a game.
They’ve also got some good rookies looking to make a name for themselves. Overall, the Panthers will likely have a similar outing to 2020, but with a much brighter future on the horizon.
Carolina Panthers Futures Best Bets
We don’t have to say taking the Panthers to win the Super Bowl or NFC Championship is a terrible idea. There is, however, some money to be made in picking the win total. The under 7.5 wins are at -130, and you should get in before it goes to -145. The Panthers have a tough schedule this year playing teams from the NFC North and AFC East. We expect them to finish at best with 6 wins, well under the total needed.
