NFL execs rank NFC teams

[TheSpecialJuan]

9. Carolina Panthers

Votes: 10-5-11-9-13 | Avg: 9.6 | Median: 10

Carolina edging New Orleans in both average and median comes as a surprise. One of the execs jokingly suggested the voter ranking the Panthers fifth must work for Carolina.

"Baker Mayfield is the whole reason they are not in the cellar," this voter said. "But he is not the answer. They are still really going to struggle this year."

The voter ranking Carolina fifth said he thought Mayfield, as a smaller quarterback, would fare better in the warmer, more hospitable NFC South than he fared in the colder, more rugged AFC North.

"If they can keep (Christian) McCaffrey healthy, I think it is a pretty well-rounded team, and I think they can beat the teams in their division at home, and New Orleans/Atlanta on the road," the Carolina optimist said.

There was not much support for the process Carolina has used in arriving at this point, but there is some thought the Panthers could be competitive with Mayfield replacing Sam Darnold.

"I like Baker, and then they should have a good defense — they have three good corners, they have (Brian) Burns, they have (Derrick) Brown on the inside," a voter said. "That is what kept them in games last year. They do have weapons on offense, the line should be better, and who are they going to play in that division that is going to give them a run? Tampa is the only one, in my opinion."

[TheSpecialJuan]

https://theathletic.com/3559341/2022/09/02/nfc-team-rankings-rams-packers/?redirected=1

[Panthercougar68]

Saw this earlier and not gonna lie it’s higher than I thought, I’d figure 11-13 in other teams eyes.  
 

Shout out to the #5 dude.

[PNW_PantherMan]

3 minutes ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

The voter ranking Carolina fifth said he thought Mayfield, as a smaller quarterback, would fare better in the warmer, more hospitable NFC South than he fared in the colder, more rugged AFC North.

I don't really understand this point.  He's not Bermuda grass.

[Panthercougar68]

Also the range of the rankings show me that no one really knows where Carolina will finish. 

[trueblade]

At 9, you just miss the playoffs and get a mid-round draft. Worst case scenario. Franchise purgatory.

[Coreyl90]

I think Carolina is a much better team than they're getting credit for. If someone on the interior DL has a breakout year they will have an elite defense. Offensively you would assume they'll be slightly above average. It could work out for us. Worst case scenario they get off to a slow start and they shake Rhule out. I feel better about this year than i did the previous 3 for sure 

[Basbear]

fair

[TheSpecialJuan]

we stink 

[jayboogieman]

12 minutes ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

we stink 

Taking a  will help with that

[shaq]

17 minutes ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

we stink 

We are very talented/young across the board with some things to figure out. Just a different perspective.

[Panthercougar68]

2 minutes ago, shaq said:

We are very talented/young across the board with some things to figure out. Just a different perspective.

Being in the middle means “incomplete to grade” to me which I’m kinda ok with. 

[Tr3ach]

36 minutes ago, Coreyl90 said:

I think Carolina is a much better team than they're getting credit for. If someone on the interior DL has a breakout year they will have an elite defense. Offensively you would assume they'll be slightly above average. It could work out for us. Worst case scenario they get off to a slow start and they shake Rhule out. I feel better about this year than i did the previous 3 for sure 

I agree.  I think it we didn't have such a brutal schedule this season I would expect us to at least come really close to the playoffs at worst.  To do that this season we are definitely going to have to earn it by beating some really good teams.

[Eazy-E]

Until this team under under Matt Rhule proves otherwise, we’re a 5 win team. Rhule has now picked a different starting QB for the third year in a row. Sorry if I’m not overly optimistic about Mayfield. I’d love to be proved wrong though.