It’s a new era in 2023 for the Carolina Panthers as the franchise has a new coaching staff led by offensive-minded head coach Frank Reich and will have a new quarterback under center in rookie No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. What to expect from the Cats this year?

A Closer Look at the Carolina Panthers 2023 NFL Season

• NFL Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 2: vs. New Orleans Saints — 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• NFL Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks — 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 5: at Detroit Lions — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 6: at Miami Dolphins — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 7: BYE
• NFL Week 8: vs. Houston Texans — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 9: vs. Indianapolis Colts — 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 10: at Chicago Bears — 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• NFL Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 12: at Tennessee Titans — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 13: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 14: at New Orleans Saints — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 15: vs. Atlanta Falcons — TBD (TBD)
• NFL Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 17: at Jacksonville Jaguars — 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 18: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — TBD (TBD)

A New Era is About to Start

Carolina’s rebuild began when it fired Coach Matt Rhule. The team got off to a 1-4 record under him in 2022. Rhule’s arrival came with much fanfare and a seven-year, $62 million contract in 2020 but the team was just 11-27 under him over two-plus seasons. Also during last season, the team traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco for draft picks.

Former Colts coach Frank Reich was named the head coach this offseason and the team traded up to get the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Panthers took Alabama QB Bryce Young, the former Heisman winner, and he already has been named the Week 1 starter. Young was one of the best quarterbacks in college football over the past couple seasons.

He accounted for the most passing touchdowns in a two-year span in SEC history with 79, won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 and was arguably the best quarterback in the nation when under pressure. Young had the highest Total QBR rating outside the pocket (95.7) in 2022 and ranked first under pressure the past two seasons in passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions of 20-plus yards.

The only notable concern about Young before the draft was his size (5-foot-10, 204 pounds). Can he make throws over huge NFL defensive lines? Can he take the pounding? Reich felt it was no big deal during OTAs and minicamp: “I actually thought we’d see a lot more balls batted down since we’re not going live and we’re telling them not to hit the quarterback. I didn’t think much about it.”

Veteran Andy Dalton will be Young’s No. 2. The last time Carolina had the top pick was in 2011 and selected Auburn’s Cam Newton, who went on to win the 2015 MVP and lead Carolina to the Super Bowl that year – a loss to Denver.

Who else has signed on to the Panthers?

Carolina’s new No. 1 running back is Miles Sanders, signed away in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles. He was named to his first Pro Bowl last season after setting career highs with 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdown runs. Sanders ran for an additional 148 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles’ three playoff games.

Excellent young receiver DJ Moore was part of the package traded to Chicago for the No. 1 overall pick but the team replaced him in Round 2 of the draft with Ole Miss wideout Jonathan Mingo. He caught 51 passes for 861 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Rebs. The 6-foot-2 Mingo has decent speed to go vertical speed, but his biggest asset is the ability to make contested catches, something this team has lacked, particularly in the slot, where Mingo is at his best.

There was some talk the team might draft star defensive end Brian Burns because he wants a big new contract but Burns remains a Panther for now. The 25-year-old has made a case for being among the top-paid edge rushers, particularly as the Panthers transition from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4, where the outside linebackers typically are among the league leaders in sacks.

In 2022, Burns had career highs in sacks (12.5), quarterback hits (22), tackles for loss (17) and tackles (63). Burns ranks 11th in sacks since 2019 with 38 sacks. T.J. Watt leads the way with 57.5, followed by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett with 54. Burns’ 139 quarterback pressures over the past three seasons is the fourth most in the NFL.

How tough is their 2023 NFL Schedule?

Carolina has one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season as its opponents combined for a 2022 winning percentage of just .453. The team is a 3-point underdog in Week 1 in Atlanta, which will be Young’s debut barring injury this summer. The Panthers’ trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta last year took overtime to end in a 37-34 loss. They beat the Falcons on Thursday Night Football two weeks later to split their 2022 series. This will be the first time the Panthers open on the road since 2017.

Carolina’s bye week falls in Week 7 this year. It’s the Panthers’ first Week 7 bye since 2019; they’ve been idle in Week 13 for the past three seasons. This team is on the right track, it appears, but there could be some bumpy spots with Young learning on the job. Keep in mind that Carolina’s 2024 first-round pick goes to Chicago as part of the trade to get Young.

What to expect for the 2023-24 NFL Season?

Buffalo has the seventh-toughest schedule this year as its opponents combined for a .542 winning percentage last year. The Bills are 1.5-point favorites for Week 1 at the New York Jets and their new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The teams split two low-scoring games last year, each winning at home.

It will be the third NFL meeting between Allen and Rodgers. They split the first two. Allen shut out in his rookie season in Green Bay (22-0) but beat Rodgers in his last season with the Packers 27-17 last October. The Bills are set to play in a franchise record six primetime games this season, surpassing the previous team-high set in 2022 of five such games. Buffalo was 5-0 in primetime games last season. Buffalo’s Week 13 bye matches the latest bye week the Bills have ever had. The team won’t travel out of the Eastern time zone until December.

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READ MORE: Carolina Panthers 2023 NFL Season Betting Guide