April 3, 2026, 12:15 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
The NFC South may not be for the faint of heart.<\/p>\n
Carolina Panthers<\/a> head coach Dave Canales sat down with Exhibit News Network’s Josina Anderson from the NFL Annual League Meeting earlier this week. And while he’s certainly confident of his team’s chances of repeating as NFC South champions, Canales acknowledged that it won’t be easy.<\/p>\n “It’s a really amazing division, and I expect another bloodbath that’s gonna come down to the wire at the end of the season again,” he told Anderson<\/a>. “I feel grateful to be a part of that. Doesn’t feel like I’m just coming into a team that’s building an identity, but it’s also a division that’s building an identity of how to play football.”<\/p>\n While their NFC South crown may have come off a technicality, Canales and company brought the organization their first division title<\/a> since 2015. The 8-9 Panthers, thanks to having the head-to-head edge in a three-way tiebreaker, finished “above” the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 8-9 Atlanta Falcons in 2025.<\/p>\n Not too far behind were the New Orleans Saints, who finished at a relatively respectable 6-11 mark after entering the campaign as one of the favorites to end up with 2026’s No. 1 overall pick.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n Between their neck-and-neck-and-neck race with the Bucs and Falcons as well as the quick ascension of the Saints, Canales knows the Panthers didn’t have the luxury of just resting on their laurels this offseason.<\/p>\n “We know it starts with the division,” he later added. “That’s why free agency and the draft are so important for us to continue and challenge our roster and show up and be ready to battle for the South.”<\/p>\n The Panthers will go into battle with three of this spring’s top free-agent signings<\/a> in pass rusher Jaelan Phillips (four years, $120 million), inside linebacker Devin Lloyd (three years, $42 million) and left tackle Rasheed Walker (one year, $4 million). Carolina also brought back 14 of their own free agents\u2014including wide receiver Jalen Coker and safety Nick Scott.<\/p>\n They’ll enter the 2026 NFL Draft with seven picks<\/a> to work with, starting with the 19th overall selection.<\/p>\n