6. Carolina Panthers
There are reasons to be optimistic about the Panthers this season, but they're all on the offensive side of the ball. The Panthers have seemingly recreated the same exact problem the Atlanta Falcons have been dealing with the past couple of years, and it could end up stunting their growth in 2025.
The Panthers got necessary progression last year from Bryce Young. They've got interesting weapons at receiver, headlined by a pair of first-round picks in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan. They've got a strong core on the offensive side of the ball overall, but very few legitimate building blocks on the defensive side and they whiffed on their big-ticket free agent target, Milton Williams.
The Panthers just don't have the presence off the edge to consistently close out close games in the NFL. They'll need pass rush productivity to come from other sources, and it's hard to see where that would be as of this point in time.
5. Indianapolis Colts
The situation with the Indianapolis Colts this season is very, very simple:
Good roster, bad quarterback situation.
Shane Steichen has had his guys playing above expectation in the last couple of years, but at what point are we going to see some actual progression for this team? It feels like the Colts have been competitive with Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson as their primary quarterbacks, but this year is likely another year with change at quarterback.
Richardson is dealing with a shoulder injury and former Giants first-round pick Daniel Jones is likely going to be this team's primary starter. And that could be the anchor dragging this team down, keeping them from truly setting sail. The Colts have elite weapons offensively. They have a strong overall defense. I am just not confident in this team's QB situation.