National media is embarrassingly nihilistic about Panthers' 2024 win total

Though I have been bullish on the Carolina Panthers' improvements made during the offseason, other NFL writers aren't as confident. 

Despite the Panthers adding names like Diontae Johnson, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, the national narrative of 2024 being a successful season isn't there for Carolina. 

Sports Illustrated predicts the Panthers will win a whopping three games. Those three wins are over the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints. 

Here is what Sports Illustrated had to say about the prospective season ahead: 

"The Panthers are banking on Canales to ignite Bryce Young’s career the same way he did for Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. Young, the 2023 No. 1 pick, is set up to succeed in Year 2 with an offensive guru calling plays and a revamped receiving corps that added Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette. But with so much inexperience and uncertainty, this roster might be a year away from competing with the other teams in the division."

Though the Panthers don't have an easy schedule, I do have reasonable confidence that the offense will be better than the 2023 season. With the offensive improvements, the team will be able to compete in more games. 

Several pundits are underrating the additions of Hunt and Lewis. Young was one of the most-sacked quarterbacks in 2023. That will undoubtedly change. 

With an improved offensive line, added passing game weapons, among scattered improvements along the defense, three wins is a bet that is simply far too low.