This is the time of the year that Panthers fans have come to cherish. They are riding the high of the draft, and April showers have started springing up May flowers of hope for success in the new league year. Carolina hasn’t had more than seven wins in a season since 2017, but that doesn’t matter with the team at 0-0 in the offseason.
The Panthers underwent the first year of the Dave Canales era in 2024. It was his first head coaching gig, and the quarterback guru was a little shaky with his decisions. He benched QB Bryce Young at one point, only to un-bench him weeks later for the remainder of the season.
To his credit, when he took back over under center, Young showed flashes of what made him a former No. 1 overall pick. He played with a swagger that had been missing, leading the team to some impromptu wins.
With the number of times that Young helped Carolina to a win that resulted in the opponent’s head coach immediately being fired, he was given the nickname the “Carolina Reaper.” If the Carolina Reaper is under center in 2025, the Panthers could take another step forward, but if the issues under center return, it is going to be yet another long season and a likely extension of the rebuild for the middling NFC South squad.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Panthers’ 2025 schedule, including dates, start times, and analysis for all 17 games.
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Carolina Panthers schedule 2025
- Home opponents: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Bills, Rams, Dolphins, Seahawks, Cowboys
- Away opponents: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Patriots, Jets, 49ers, Jaguars, Packers
Every NFL team’s 2025 opponents are predetermined. The Panthers’ full 2025 NFL schedule with dates, times, and TV networks will be updated below when the NFL schedule is announced at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 14.
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Panthers strength of schedule
In 2023, Carolina went a miserable 2-15. This was after making a huge trade-up to select Alabama’s Bryce Young with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Panthers could only go up from there, right? Ahead of the 2024 season, there was hope for Carolina. With a down year expected for the NFC South, the Panthers were tied with the second-easiest strength of schedule based on opponent winning percentages from 2023. Carolina responded by going 5-12.
This was technically an improvement, but the Panthers proved they still had plenty of problems on both sides of the ball. Now, heading into the 2025 season, Dave Canales has had a second offseason to work with Young and the rest of the team. To help out Carolina, they once again have an easy schedule. The Panthers are now tied for the fifth-easiest strength of schedule, as their opponents had a .457 win percentage last season.
Toughest tests: All of them? Have you watched the Panthers over the past two seasons? Sure, Young has shown promise on occasion, but even in Canales’ second year, it is tough to have hope unless you see it come to fruition on the field. Carolina is dealing with some solid pieces, but selecting a wide receiver (Tetairoa McMillan) No. 8 overall while watching two division rivals load up on pass-rushers is ominous.
The division games are going to be tough. Tampa Bay is likely the favorite, with Atlanta on its heels. The best-case scenario for the Panthers would be forcing a split with each of these teams, but at the very least, they need to avoid getting swept and going 0-4 here. Outside of the division, drawing the Bills, Cowboys, 49ers, and Packers is extremely unfortunate for Carolina.
Biggest breaks: New Orleans will likely be rebuilding with cap space problems and little QB experience. The Patriots, Cardinals, Jaguars, and Jets are all still rebuilding. New England’s defense could carry it if Drake Maye takes a step forward, but if not, that’s a game in which the Panthers could steal a win. At the very least, games against the Cardinals, Giants, and Jaguars project to be among the easiest on the schedule.
Panthers record prediction
- Over/under win total: 6.5 (per BetMGM)
Bottom line: We are going to learn a lot about Carolina early on in the 2025 season. Young probably has one more season to prove that he is worth remaining the starting QB because the 2026 quarterback draft class is expected to be solid. If Canales can unlock the “Carolina Reaper” we have seen flashes of, the Panthers are actually going to be fun to watch.
The problem for Carolina remains how well everyone can play together. If Young struggles, the Panthers likely won’t be able to lean on their defense to keep them in games. The Alabama product is going to be under a lot of pressure, and it projects to be another subpar season for Carolina, leading to questions about how long Young and Canales will stick around Charlotte.
Record prediction: 5-12
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