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The Carolina Panthers enter the 2025 NFL season as one of the league’s great unknowns. For a franchise that has endured seven straight losing seasons, the stakes could not be higher. Carolina is no longer a rebuilding team simply looking for progress. They need results. The fate of the franchise rests on two things: the continued development of quarterback Bryce Young and the team’s ability to patch glaring weaknesses before they become fatal.
Bryce Young’s Defining Year
Will Young live up to the expectations that made him the No. 1 draft pick? This question is front and center for the Panthers as they begin their 2025 training camp. After two inconsistent seasons, Young showed real improvement late last year. He threw seven touchdown passes without an interception in his final three games and added three rushing touchdowns. He nearly capped that strong finish with an upset over the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Although the Panthers' defense struggled historically in 2024, their best chance to end seven straight losing seasons depends on Young taking the next step. Training camp will be crucial for him. With a stronger offensive line and better chemistry with Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette, Young now has the support needed to succeed. If he continues to build on his late-season momentum, the Panthers could emerge as serious contenders in the competitive NFC South.
As much optimism as there is around Young and the Panthers’ offense, there’s an equal amount of concern around the team’s last line of defense: the safety position.
A Hole That Wasn’t Fully Plugged
The Panthers’ pass defense ranked among the league’s worst last year. They allowed 6.94 yards per dropback. That was second worst in the NFL. One of the culprits? Safety play. Xavier Woods, who led the defense in snaps, is gone. Sure, that departure might be a case of addition by subtraction. However, it also leaves a leadership and communication void.
Carolina tried to address the issue by signing Tre’von Moehrig. He's a talented free agent coming over from Las Vegas. Moehrig is likely an upgrade, but the rest of the group is made up of question marks. Nick Scott, Demani Richardson, and fourth-round rookie Lathan Ransom are battling for playing time. That said, none of the three has proven he can be a difference-maker in coverage.
Ransom’s Fit and the Deep Safety Dilemma
Ransom, while an intriguing young player, is more suited for a strong safety role. He should be closer to the line of scrimmage. The Panthers, however, need a deep safety. They need a rangy player who can cover ground and help protect against explosive plays. That’s where this roster is dangerously thin.
Without a dependable deep safety, even a much-improved pass rush could be neutralized by opponents targeting the back end of the defense. In a pretty division and looming cross-conference matchups against Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, and Dak Prescott, that’s a formula for disaster.
Risky Business
The Panthers have shown interest in bolstering the safety group with a proven veteran. Names like Julian Blackmon and Justin Simmons have been floated. That said, Blackmon is now with the Saints, and the Panthers haven't been able to bring Simmons in. That indecision could come back to haunt them.
Every practice rep matters in building chemistry in the secondary. The longer Carolina waits to add a stabilizing presence, the longer it will take to integrate that player into the scheme. The front office appears content to roll into camp with what they have, but that approach carries enormous risk.
Why It Matters
The path forward for the Panthers is clear: they must protect and empower Bryce Young. Still, if the defense continues to surrender big plays due to shaky safety play, the offense will be forced to dig out of holes week after week.
Carolina’s pass rush can’t cover up the mistakes of the secondary forever. A strong camp could mask some deficiencies. On the flip side, if the front office doesn’t take a bold step to shore up the deep middle of the field, the 2025 Panthers could find themselves reliving the frustrations of previous seasons.
Final Word
Training camp is about hope and development. The Panthers have both. Young looks ready to take a major leap. The offense finally has some structure. As the roster stands today, though, the biggest obstacle to meaningful progress remains at safety. That could make or break the entire season. If Carolina can’t fix this flaw, their ceiling might be as low as their floor.
