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The Carolina Panthers haven't made the playoffs since 2017. Will the drought end in 2023?
Last season was wild and dramatic for the Panthers. They started three quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and PJ Walker) and head coach Matt Rhule was fired after five games. Both Chosen Anderson and Christian McCaffrey were dealt before the trade deadline. Interim head coach Steve Wilks went 6-6 as the team finished with a 7-10 record.
This offseason has been interesting so far. The Panthers hired Frank Reich as head coach and have signed several solid free agents like Adam Thielen, Miles Sanders, Vonn Bell, and Andy Dalton.
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Their biggest move, of course, was acquiring the top pick in this year's draft from the Chicago Bears. In the deal, Carolina sent wide receiver DJ Moore, its 2023 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), and a boatload of other picks to Chicago.
We'll see what other moves the team makes before the start of the 2023-24 season.
How much have the Panthers really improved ahead of the 2023-24 NFL season?
The Panthers will likely select quarterback Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, or Anthony Richardson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Conversely, they could shock the world and take Kentucky's Will Levis.
Can a rookie QB lead Carolina to the postseason? It's definitely not out of the question. Rookie signal-callers have taken teams to the playoffs before. A good example is Andrew Luck, the top pick in the 2012 draft. He led the Indianapolis Colts to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth during his first year in the league.
Carolina's new quarterback will have several offensive weapons to work with in 2023. New running back Miles Sanders, who was fifth in rushing yards (1,269) last season, can take some pressure off his QB. Plus, two-time Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen could instantly emerge as one of the quarterback's favorite targets.
In addition, the Panthers now have a solid tight end in Hayden Hurst, coming off one of the best seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022.
Reich has had coaching success, winning Super Bowl LII as the Eagles' offensive coordinator and guiding the Colts to the playoffs twice as a head coach. That said, he could likely take Carolina to the postseason in 2023.
