Under new GM James Gladstone and new head coach Liam Coen, the Jacksonville Jaguars will open up their 2025 regular season at home against the Carolina Panthers.
Whether the game ends in a win, loss, or tie, this one outcome won’t dictate which direction the Jaguars are headed under their new regime. But the importance of some early success does go beyond just the wins and losses columns.
To help us preview this matchup, Anthony Rizzuti, the managing editor of Panthers Wire, was kind enough to answer several of our questions to provide us with some added insight into Carolina.
What led to Bryce Young’s bounce back in 2024 and what are the expectations for him going into this season?
Rizzuti: As head coach and offensive play-caller Dave Canales has expressed before, Young’s confidence—and particularly his decisiveness—was the key to unlocking that bounce-back run.
Young’s rookie campaign in 2024 was marred by poor footwork and an inability to process the field with regularity, a startling contrast from the Heisman Trophy winner we saw at the University of Alabama. And those faults bled over into the first two outings of his sophomore year, where he completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 245 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in a pair of embarrassing blowout losses.
But the traits that made Young a No. 1 overall pick reemerged upon his return to the starting lineup—as he was smooth through his reads, quick on coming to decisions and bold about his playmaking abilities. That change helped the then-23-year-old connect on 61.8 percent of his throws for 2,104 yards, 15 scores and six picks while leading the Panthers to a relatively respectable 4-6 mark. (He also rushed for 223 yards and five more touchdowns in that 10-game span.)
Now at 24 and in his third NFL season, Young must meet the expectation of consistency. He doesn’t have to be a Patrick Mahomes, a Lamar Jackson or a Josh Allen. He just has to be that same quarterback who finished 2024 with conviction, tenacity and a little bit of swagger.
It’s Week 1, so there are still unknowns around each team, but what is the biggest question mark to start the season?
Rizzuti: Carolina’s front seven provided nightmare fuel for their team’s fans throughout the entire 2024 campaign.
Due in part to some key injuries and an alarming lack of depth, the Panthers ended up allowing a whopping 179.8 rushing yards per game—nearly 40 more yards than the next closest defense. The unit also tied for the third-fewest amount of sacks (32) and mustered up the absolute lowest pressure rate (16.2 percent).
After that debacle, the front office revamped the group—signing free-agent defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III and drafting a couple of promising pass rushers in Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Oh, and getting back Pro Bowler Derrick Brown, who missed 16 of 17 games, should provide quite a boost as well.
There is, however, still a big question mark at inside linebacker. With last year’s green-dot leader in Josey Jewell gone, can the unproven starters in Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace effectively man the middle?
On the flip side, what is the biggest strength?
Rizzuti: Conversely, there aren’t many questions about how the Panthers run the ball themselves.
Last offseason’s signings of guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt proved to be the start of a new identity for the ground game. Behind their bruising hog mollies and a career year from running back Chuba Hubbard, the Panthers were able to establish the run and open up their once-stagnant offense.
The attack may even take another step forward with the inclusion of Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 1,079 yards with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. Like Hubbard, Dowdle has the ability to finesse opposing defenses with his impressive burst and contact balance.
We’ll just have to see if Lewis and Hunt, both of whom come into the opener with some injury concerns, are healthy enough to suit up on Sunday.
Who is an under-the-radar player on offense and defense for Jaguars fans to know?
Rizzuti: Let’s go for one on both sides of the ball, starting with second-year tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. The 2024 fourth-round pick came into offseason workouts in leaner and meaner shape, and could factor into the intermediate passing game following the injury to slot receiver Jalen Coker.
On defense, we can look to outside linebacker Pat Jones II. One of the team’s initial free-agent signees from the spring, Jones II is fresh off a career-high 7.0 sacks and will start alongside D.J. Wonnum off the edge.
Jaguars vs. Panthers Prediction
Bretl: With so much turnover this offseason for the Jaguars, both on the coaching staff and with the roster, there are bound to be ups and downs. With that said, I like the talent on this team and the offensive and defensive schemes built around multiplicity and throwing a variety of looks at opponents. Jaguars win 24-21.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars vs. Panthers: 4 things to know and a prediction for Week 1
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