Bears fans shouldn't make this mistake when judging the Panthers in Week 1

Carolina quietly made significant progress last year, going 8-9, winning the NFC South and reaching the playoffs in Dave Canales' second season as coach.

Now the Panthers will open 2026 at home against a Bears team with much larger expectations. Chicago deserves to be the favorites. But Carolina deserves its attention.

Bryce Young has quietly made progress

Young's NFL career didn't begin the way Carolina envisioned when it selected him No. 1 overall in 2023. But after three seasons, there's evidence that he's moving in the right direction.

Young threw 11 touchdown passes as a rookie in 2023 before increasing that total to 15 in 2024. Last season, he took another step, throwing 23 touchdown passes while completing 63.6% of his attempts for 3,011 yards. His passer rating has climbed in each season, from 73.7 in 2023 to 82.2 in 2024 and 87.8 in 2025.

Those numbers don't put Young among the NFL's elite quarterbacks, but the trajectory matters. The Bears aren't facing the same inexperienced quarterback who struggled through his rookie season. Young enters 2026 with three years of NFL experience and a supporting cast that includes a legitimate No. 1 receiver.

Tetairoa McMillan produced 1,014 receiving yards last season to lead Carolina, while Jalen Coker returns after finishing second among Panthers wide receivers in receiving yards.

Carolina also added veteran tight end Darren Waller, giving Young another experienced option as he enters his fourth NFL season.

Panthers enter Week 1 with significant offensive-line questions

The biggest issue facing Carolina might be what's happening up front. Veteran right tackle Taylor Moton is on the reserve/non-football illness list after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung during the offseason. The Panthers said in July that the treatment would cause Moton to miss regular-season time.

Starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is on reserve/PUP, meaning he will miss at least the opening portion of the season.

Carolina prepared for that possibility by signing veteran Rasheed Walker and selecting Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling in the first round.

Those absences nevertheless create uncertainty at an important position heading into Week 1. And that matters for a Bears defense that needs more production from its pass rush in 2026.

Carolina's defense has recognizable talent

The Panthers defense will give the Bears a very real challenge, too.

Derrick Brown remains the centerpiece up front, while Jaycee Horn intercepted five passes last season. Carolina also added linebacker Devin Lloyd and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips during an offseason spent reshaping the defense.

There have been losses, too. Second-year edge rusher Nic Scourton, who tied for Carolina's team lead with five sacks in 2025, suffered a knee injury on the first day of training camp and was placed on injured reserve.

Bears are getting a better Panthers team than the name suggests

The Panthers were outscored by 69 points last season despite winning their division. They produced 5,025 offensive yards while allowing 5,563. They're definitely not an NFC powerhouse.

But they're also no longer an automatic victory.

The Bears should still expect to leave Charlotte 1-0. They just shouldn't expect Carolina to make it easy.