2021 Carolina Panthers Preview and Predictions: Post Draft Edition

(Photo Credit: William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Key Players Returning:

RB/RS Christian McCaffery, WR Robby Anderson, WR/RS D.J. Moore , TE Ian Thomas, OC Matt Paradis, OG Dennis Daley, OG John Miller, OT Greg Little, OT Taylor Moton, DE Brian Burns, LB Jermaine Carter, LB Shaq Thompson, CB Donte Jackson, FS Jeremy Chinn, SS Juston Burris, KR Trenton Cannon, and PK Joey Slye.

Key Players Departing:

QB Teddy Bridgewater (Broncos),  RB Mike Davis (Falcons), WR Curtis Samuel (WFT), DT Kawann Short (UFA), LB Tahir Whitehead (UFA), CB Rasul Douglas (Raiders), FS Tre Boston (TBA), KR Pharoh Cooper (UFA), PK Graham Gano (Giants), and PT Michael Palardy (Dolphins).

Key Players Added:


QB Sam Darnold (Jets), WR/PR David Moore (Seahawks), TE Dan Arnold (WFT), OG Patt Elfein (Jets), LB Denzel Perryman (Chargers), LB Haason Reddick (Cardinals), CB A.J. Bouye (Broncos), and FS Delano Hill (Seahawks).

Draft Picks:

Round 1: 
Pick 008 – CB Jaycee Horn (South Carolina)
Round 2:  Pick 059 – WR Terrace Marshall (LSU)
Round 3:  Pick 070 – OT Brady Christensen (BYU)
Round 4:  Pick 126 – RB Chris Hubbard (Oklahoma State)
Round 5:  Pick 158 – DT Daviyon Nixon (Iowa)
Round 5:  Pick 166 – CB Keith Taylor (Washington)
Round 6:  Pick 193 – OG Deonte Brown (Alabama)
Round 6:  Pick 204 – WR Shi Amith (South Carolina)
Round 6:  Pick 222 – LS Thomas Fletcher (Alabama)
Round 7:  Pick 232 – DT Phil Hoskins (Kentucky)

2020 Results:

W01  LAS VEGAS RAIDERS  L  30-34
W02  at Tampa Bay Buccaneers  L  17-31
W03  at Los Angeles Chargers  W  21-16
W04  ARIZONA CARDINALS  W  31-21
W05  at Atlanta Falcons  W  23-16
W06  CHICAGO BEARS  L  16-23
W07  at New Orleans Saints  L  24-27
W08  ATLANTA FALCONS  L  17-25
W09  at Kansas City Chiefs  L  31-33
W10  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  L  23-46
W11  DETROIT LIONS  W  20-0
W12  at Minnesota Vikings  L  27-28
W14  DENVER BRONCOS  L  27-32
W15  at Green Bay Packers  L  16-24
W16  at Washington FT  W  20-13
W17  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  L  7-33

Team Info:

2020 Overall:  5-11 (4th in NFC South)

Home:  3-5
Away:  2-6
South:  1-5
NFC:  4-8
AFC:  1-3

Head Coach:  Matt Rhule

Carolina:  5-11
Career:  5-11
Playoffs:  0-0

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing: 
P.J. Walker (32-56, 368 yards, 57.1%, 6.6 avg., 1 TD, 5 Int.)
Rushing: 
Christian McCaffrey (59 car., 225 yards, 3.8 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: 
D.J. Moore (66 rec., 1193 yards, 18.1 avg., 4 TD)
Yards After Catch: 
Robby Anderson (514)
TD’s Scored: 
Christian McCaffrey (6)
Sacks:  Brian Burns (9)
Tackles: 
Jeremy Chinn (117)
Interceptions: 
Donte Jackson (3)
Pass Deflections: 
Donte Jackson (11)
Tackles For Loss: 
Brian Burns (11.5)
Forced Fumbles: 
Brian Burns (3)
Kick Returns: 
Trenton Cannon (10 ret., 298 yards, 29.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: 
None
Kicking:  Joey Slye (29-36 fg/fga., 81%, 33-36 xp/xpa., 120 pts.)
Punting: 
Joseph Charlton (45 punts, 2082 yards, 46.3 avg., 21 in20)

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  14  Sam Darnold
RB:  22  Christian McCaffrey
TE:  85  Dan Arnold
WR:  12  D.J. Moore
WR:  11  Robby Anderson
TE:  80  Ian Thomas
LT:  74  Greg Little
LG:  65  Dennis Daley
OC:  61  Matt Paradis
RG:  60  Pat Elfein
RT:  72  Taylor Moton
KR:  36  Trenton Cannon
PK:  4  Joey Slye

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  53  Brian Burns
DT:  95  Derrick Brown
DE:  93  Bravvion Roy
LB:  97  Yetur Gross-Matos
LB:  54  Shaq Thompson
LB:  52  Denzel Perryman
LB:  43  Haason Reddick
CB:  26  Donte Jackson
CB:  8  Jaycee Horn  |R|
FS:  21  Jeremy Chinn
SS:  31  Juston Burris
PR:  83  David Moore
PT:  3  Joseph Charlton

Team Grades:

Offense

Quarterbacks:  C
Running Backs:  B
Wide Receivers:  B
Offensive Line:  B

Defense

Defensive Line:  B
Linebackers:  B
Secondary:  B

Special Teams

Kick Returners:  A
Punt Returners:  B
Kickers:  A
Punters:  A

Schedule:

09/12 1:00pm EST 
NEW YORK JETS  |  Carolina leads the series 4-3.  The Panthers won (35-27) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

09/19 1:00pm EST  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  |  Carolina trails the series 25-28.  The Panthers are 8-12 since 2011, and their last series home win (23-20) was in 2016.

09/23 8:20pm EST  at Houston Texans  |  Carolina leads the series 3-2.  The Panthers won (16-10) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

10/03 1:00pm EST  at Dallas Cowboys  |  Carolina trails the series 5-9.  The Panthers won (16-8) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series loss (14-19) was in 2012.

10/10 1:00pm EST  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  |  Carolina trails the series 5-7.  The Panthers won (21-17) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series loss (23-28) was in 2017.

10/17 1:00am EST  MINNESOTA VIKINGS  |  Carolina trails the series 6-9.  The Panthers are 2-4 since 2011, and their last series win (31-24) was in 2017.

10/24 1:00pm EST  at New York Giants  |  Carolina leads the series 7-4.  The Panthers won (33-31) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series loss (7-36) was in 2012.

10/31 1:00pm EST  at Atlanta Falcons  |  Carolina trails the series 19-33.  The Panthers are 7-13 since 2011, and their last series road loss (20-40) was in 2019.

11/07 1:00pm EST  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  |  Carolina leads the series 4-3.  The Panthers won (33-30) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

11/14 4:05pm EST  at Arizona Cardinals  |  Carolina leads the series 13-5.  The Panthers are 5-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (6-22) was in 2013.

11/21 1:00pm EST  WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM  |  Carolina trials the series 7-9.  The Panthers are 5-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (21-29) was in 2019.

11/28 1:00pm EST  at Miami Dolphins  |  Carolina trails the series 2-4.  The Panthers won (45-21) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

12/12 1:00pm EST  ATLANTA FALCONS  |  The Panthers last series home win (20-17) was in 2017.

12/19 1:00pm EST  at Buffalo Bills  |  Carolina trails the series 2-5.  The Panthers won (9-3) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

12/26 1:00pm EST  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  |  Carolina leads the series 24-17.  The Panthers are 12-8 since 2011, and their last series home win (42-28) was in 2018.

01/02 1:00pm EST  at New Orleans Saints  |  The Panthers the last series road win (33-14) was in 2018.

01/09  1:00pm EST  at Tampa Bay Buccaneers  |  The Panthers last series road win (37-26) was in 2019.

Prediction:

Home:  7-1
Away:  4-5
DIV:  3-3
NFC:  7-5
AFC:  4-1

Overall:  11-6 (2nd in NFC South – Eliminated in Wild Card by Packers)

UFA:  Unrestricted Free Agent

Series Histories:  Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day.  Meetings prior to 1966 are not included.  Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place.  For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.