As it stands right now, the NFC South could be the worst division in football. Let's predict each team's ceiling and floor in 2025.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers again won the division in the 2025 NFL Season, finishing 10-7 but losing in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs. The Bucs have taken recent ownership of the division, but they aren't a great team and could be quite vulnerable as we approach 2025.
We tried to predict each team's ceiling and floor record-wise this year. Let's get into it.
Ceiling and floor predictions for NFC South teams in the 2025 NFL Season
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ceiling: 10-7
Floor: 6-11
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers feel like the same team that they were in 2024, so I do not really see them improving much. Ten wins feels like their ceiling in 2025, and no one would be shocked by that, either.
However, you have to wonder if yet another offensive coordinator change could impact this team, as Baker Mayfield could always regress to his shaky status before arriving in Tampa. This could lead them to regress and only finish with six wins.
Atlanta Falcons
Ceiling: 10-7
Floor: 4-13
If Michael Penix Jr shows some progress in year two, the Atlanta Falcons could win 10 games and compete for the NFC South title. The roster itself is quite good, as Penix will have a top offensive line and elite weapons at his disposal.
But the Falcons have not really proven much of anything in recent years, so Penix could always struggle and the defense may again struggle to figure themselves out.
New Orleans Saints
Ceiling: 6-11
Floor: 1-16
At best, the New Orleans Saints could scrape together six wins with a rookie QB likely starting in Tyler Shough and a rookie head coach in Kellen Moore. Six wins may honestly be a miracle with how bad this team is right now, and that's why I have their floor so low - what advantages will they have over opponents week to week?
Carolina Panthers
Ceiling: 10-7
Floor: 4-13
The Carolina Panthers could surprise people in 2025 if Bryce Young continues to improve, as he looked quite solid near the end of the 2024 NFL Season, and the Panthers have a good roster, perhaps better than you think. A year three jump from Young could help propel to the Panthers to a shocking 10-7 season and could help them establish themselves in what could be a wide-open NFC.
However, there is always a chance that Bryce Young does improve, as he really hasn't played all that well when you look at his first two seasons in the league overall. Carolina does have some optimism heading into 2025, but that could get snatched if the duo of Young and Dave Canales can't build on their progress made in 2024.