Who is the most underrated NFC squad?
By: Jake Rajala
The Carolina Panthers haven’t been a sexy squad as of late. They went 2-15 in 2023 and then 5-12 a season ago.
With that said, I believe they are turning the corner. After all, former first overall pick Bryce Young threw for 10 touchdowns in the past few weeks. All they did was add more firepower for Young. They drafted Tetairoa McMillan in the first round and signed Hunter Renfrow (who has been a huge surprise this off-season). Thankfully, Adam Thielen is returning, as well.
Tetairoa had two impressive catches for 43 yards in Week 1 of pre-season.
The Panthers fought hard last season. They beat the Saints once, hammered the Falcons once, and brought their A-game against the Bucs, as the showdown went to OT. However, they sadly lost.
To be fair, the Panthers didn’t have a flawless offseason. They let Jadeveon Clowney leave, which wasn’t appealing to me, especially after they refused to bring in a veteran edge rusher afterward. Nonetheless, they did ink Tershawn Wharton, who is a quality defensive tackle.
I would like to see them reunite with Clowney. Von Miller is off the table (as he joined Washington) and Matthew Judon joined the Miami Dolphins.
I also believe the Panthers will improve from last season is that the worst projected team (New Orleans Saints) plays in their division, so the Panthers should sweep them. In addition, the Panthers have had the Falcons number.
The Panthers are one of my sleeper teams to make the playoffs. They embody strength and talent, which is a rare combination. I also like the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks as sleeper teams in the NFC.
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