Despite their late-season push in 2024, the Carolina Panthers still have a lot to prove on offense.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has sorted through the NFL’s playmakers, evaluating and ranking each team’s set of rushers and pass catchers heading into the 2025 campaign. Carolina’s lot settled in No. 31, three spots lower than their standing from last year.

Barnwell explains, beginning with the team’s wide receivers:

Well, the Panthers certainly keep trying to add receivers. This year, it’s No. 8 pick Tetairoa McMillan, who they hope fills the same role Mike Evans did for coach Dave Canales when he was coordinating the 2023 Bucs‘ offense. A thriving McMillan will allow all of Carolina’s wideouts to drop one spot in the rotation, which would suit many of them. Looking back at the Panthers’ 2024 class, I find myself more intrigued by undrafted free agent Jalen Coker than second-round pick Xavier Legette, as he averaged a respectable 1.9 yards per route run to Legette’s 1.3. Outside of veteran Adam Thielen, who continues to produce at age 34, there’s a lot of projection here.

As Barnwell notes, there are some unknowns surrounding Carolina’s young crop of wideouts. The bunch may feature two rookies in McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. and the two sophomores in Legette and Coker.

Something similar could be said at tight end, where starter Tommy Tremble might miss time while healing up from offseason back surgery. That would leave 2024 fifth-round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders and 2025 fifth-round pick Mitchell Evans with extra responsibilities at a position that hasn’t seen real production since the days of Greg Olsen.

Barnwell then covers Carolina’s running backs:

With Jonathon Brooks out for the season, the backfield will run through Chuba Hubbard, which is well-deserved. Hubbard is patient and powerful; his burst between two unblocked Cardinals defenders to score a game-winning in touchdown in overtime on his final snap of the 2024 season might have been Carolina’s offensive highlight of the season. The front office did well to bring in veteran Rico Dowdle, who was a league-average starting back for the Cowboys when given the opportunity, as Hubbard’s backup.

Both Hubbard and Dowdle are fresh off career-best showings in 2024, with the former rushing for 1,195 yards and the latter 1,079. With the addition of Dowdle, who signed on to a one-year, $6.2 million deal out of free agency, the Panthers are currently the only team in the NFL to roster two 1,000-yard rushers from last season.

2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne may also factor into the backfield plans. The 5-foot-9, 198-pounder can provide a change of pace from Hubbard and Dowdle given his hands and run-after-catch prowess.

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