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For Carolina Panthers betting odds, the 2017 season was a huge improvement after 2016 and the team hopes to keep building on that success in 2018 and beyond.
After a 11-5 season in '17 saw them get a wild card spot and be edged out by 5 points in their Wild Card playoff game against the Saints, the Carolina Panthers are a team that has hope for the future. So much so that they probably aren't ashamed to think the Super Bowl still within its sights. Panthers betting odds show them to be in the middle of a tight pack for Super Bowl glory on our NFL sportsbook.
However, with Cam Newton back for another year at QB and the NFL's best middle linebacker in Luke Kuechly and Defensive Tackle Kawann Short also in the fray, things are looking good for the Panthers.
Last year Kuechly and Kawann lead the NFL's top defense on 3rd and 4th down on the run and third best defense in the league vs the rush overall. On Offense, Newton was 12th in the league in passing touchdowns and the Panther's rushing offense was the 4th best in the league thanks to Newton's leading all NFL QBs in rushing.
Given this success, there was only a little bit of offseason tweaking going into 2018. The team's notable free agent signings included RB Kenjon Barner, WR Torrey Smith, DT Dontrai Poe, WR Jarius Wright, Guard Jeremiah Sirles, DB Da'Norris Searcy and Corner Ross Cockrell. While none of them are major additions, each adds depth to an already diverse Panther's lineup.
As for the draft, the Panthers took WR D.J. Moore out of Maryland with their first pick.
Beyond those signings, there is still some work left to do at home for the Panthers. The fates of right tackle Daryl Williams and wide receiver Devin Funchess hang in the balance, as both of their contracts are up at the end of this year and they have not signed extensions. Funchess is coming off his best year to date with 840 yards on 63 receptions, which led the team. Williams is regarded as one of the best tackles in the league
Panthers will also need to find a way to replace All-Pro Left Guard Andrew Norwell, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars after 4 seasons with the Panthers. So far, several names from within the Panthers system have been thrown around, but nothing is concrete yet.
Also looming over this team is the recent change in ownership. Former team owner and founder Jerry Richardson stepped down earlier this year and new owner David Tepper is still working out the details of his takeover. The League approved the sale of the team to Tepper in May. Tepper is a former part-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he was with the team when they last went to the Super Bowl, in 2010.
While Tepper is expected to keep things on the field more or less the same, the takeover in the front office does represent the end of an era for the Panthers, who had not known another owner prior to Richardson.