Carolina Panthers 2023 Preview and Predictions

(Photo Credit: Brandon Todd/Carolina Panthers)

Key Players Returning:

RB Chuba Hubbard, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., WR/PR Shi Smith, OC Bradley Bozeman, OG Brady Christensen, OG Austin Corbett, OT Ikem Ekwonu, OT Taylor Moton, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, DT Derrick Brown, LB Brian Burns, LB Marquis Haynes Sr., LB Frankie Luvu, LB Shaq Thompson, CB CJ Henderson, CB Jaycee Horn, NB Jeremy Chinn, FS Xavier Woods, KR Raheem Blackshear, PK Eddy Pineiro and PT Johnny Hekker.

Key Players Departing:

QB Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers), QB Sam Darnold (49ers), RB D’Onta Foreman (Bears), WR/RS DJ Moor (Bears), DT Matt Ioannidis (UFA), LB Damien Wilson (UFA), LB Cory Littleton (Texans) and CB Myles Hartfield (49ers).

Key Players Added:

RB Miles Sanders (Eagles), WR DJ Chark Jr. (Lions), WR Adam Thielen (Vikings), TE Hayden Hurst (Bengals), DE DeShawn Williams (Broncos), DT Shy Tuttle (Saints) and SS Vonn Bell (Bengals).

Draft Picks:

Round 1: 
Pick 001 – QB Bryce Young (Alabama)
Round 2:  Pick 039 – WR Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss)
Round 3:  Pick 080 – EDGE DJ Johnson (Oregon)
Round 4:  Pick 114 – OG Chandler Zavala (NC State)
Round 5:  Pick 145 – DS Jammie Robinson (Florida State)

2022 Results:

W01  BROWNS  L  24-26
W02  @ Giants  L  16-19
W03  SAINTS  W  22-14
W04  CARDINALS  L  16-26
W05  49ERS  L  15-37
W06  @ Rams  L  10-24
W07  BUCCANEERS  W  21-3
W08  @ Falcons  L | OT  34-37
W09  @ Bengals  L  21-42
W10  FALCONS  W  25-15
W11  @ Ravens  L  3-13
W12  BRONCOS  W  23-10
W14  @ Seahawks  W  30-24
W15  STEELERS  L  16-24
W16  LIONS  W  37-23
W17  @ Buccaneers  L  24-30
W18  @ Saints  W  10-7

Team Info:

2022 Overall:  7-10 (2nd in NFC South)

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

Head Coach:  Frank Reich

Carolina:  0-0
Career:  41-35-1
Playoffs:  1-2

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing: 
None
Rushing: 
Chuba Hubbard (95 car., 466 yards, 4.9 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: 
Terrace Marshall Jr. (47 rec., 490 yards, 17.5 avg., 1 TD)
Yards After Catch: 
Laviska Shenault Jr. (330)
TD’s Scored: 
Raheem Blackshear/Tommy Tremble (3)
Sacks:  Brian Burns (12.5)
Tackles: 
Shaq Thompson (135)
Interceptions: 
Jaycee Horn (3)
Pass Deflections: 
Derrick Brown/Jaycee Horn (7)
Tackles For Loss: 
Frankie Luvu (19)
Forced Fumbles: 
4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: 
Raheem Blackshear (19 ret., 513 yards, 27.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: 
Shi Smith (23 ret., 143 yards, 6.2 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking:  Eddy Pineiro (33-35 fg/fga., 94%, 30-32 xp-xpa., 129 pts).
Punting: 
Johnny Hekker (81 punts, 3925 yards, 48.5 avg., 39 in20)

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  9  Bryce Young |R|
RB:  6  Miles Sanders
WR:  88  Terrace Marshall Jr.
WR:  17  DJ Chark Jr.
WR:  19  Adam Thielen
TE:  81  Hayden Hurst
LT:  79  Ikem Ekwonu
LG:  70  Brady Christensen
OC:  56  Bradley Bozeman
RG:  63  Austin Corbett
RT:  72  Taylor Moton
KR:  3  Raheem Blackshear
PK:  4  Eddy Pineiro

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  53  Brian Burns
DT:  95  Derrick Brown
DE:  95  Shy Tuttle
LB:  97  Yetur Gross-Matos
LB:  7  Shaq Thompson
LB:  49  Frankie Luvu
LB:  00  Brian Burns
CB:  8  Jaycee Horn
CB:  26  Donte Jackson
FS:  25  Xavier Woods
SS:  24  Vonn Bell
PR:  12  Shi Smith
PT:  10  Johnny Hekker

Team Grades:

Offense

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

Defense

Defensive Line:  B
Linebackers:  A
Secondary:  B

Special Teams

Kick Returners:  A
Punt Returners:  C
Kickers:  A
Punters:  A

Schedule:

09/10  
@ Falcons  |  Carolina trails the series 21-35.  The Panthers are 8-12 since 2013 and their last series road win (19-13) was in 2021.

09/18  SAINTS  |  Carolina trails the series 28-29.  The Panthers are 9-11 since 2013 and their last series home loss (7-33) was in 2020.

09/24  @ Seahawks  |  Carolina trails the series 5-10.  The Panthers are 3-6 since 2013 and their last series loss (24-30) was in 2019.

10/01  VIKINGS  |  Carolina trails the series 6-10.  The Panthers lost (28-34) the last meeting between teams in 2021.

10/08  @ Lions  |  Carolina leads the series 8-3.  The Panthers are 4-1 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (19-20) was in 2018.

10/15  @ Dolphins  |  Carolina trails the series 2-5.  The Panthers lost (10-33) the last meeting between teams in 2021.

10/29  TEXANS  |  Carolina leads the series 4-2.  The Panthers won (24-9) the last meeting between teams in 2021.

11/05  COLTS  |  Carolina leads the series 5-2.  The Panthers lost (6-38) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

11/09  @ Bears  |  Carolina trails the series 4-7.  The Panthers lost (16-23) the last meeting between teams in 2020.

11/19  COWBOYS  |  Carolina trails the series 5-10.  The Panthers lost (20-36) the last meeting between teams in 2021.

11/26  @ Titans  |  The series is tied 3-3.  The Panthers won (30-20) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

12/03  @ Buccaneers  |  Carolina leads the series 25-20.  The Panthers are 11-9 since 2013 and their last series road win (37-26) was in 2019.

12/10  @ Saints  |  The Panthers last series road loss (10-18) was in 2021.

12/16  FALCONS  |  The Panthers last series home loss (21-29) was in 2021.

12/24  PACKERS  |   Carolina trails the series 6-11.  The Panthers lost (16-24) the last meeting between teams in 2020.

12/31  @ Jaguars  |  Carolina leads the series 4-3.  The Panthers won (34-27) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

01/07  BUCCANEERS  |  The Panthers last series home loss (6-32) was in 2021.

Prediction:


Home: 7-1
Away: 4-5
South: 5-1
NFC: 7-5
AFC: 4-1

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

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 2023, the game will be listed under the 2022 season.