With every passing week, the Carolina Panthers are that much closer to clinching the NFL’s worst record. Normally, that would give the team the No. 1 overall pick, but not these Panthers.
Carolina continues to help the Chicago Bears, thanks to the 2023 NFL draft trade that sent the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2024 to Chicago. The Panthers moved up to select Alabama QB Bryce Young with the top pick last year.
Young’s rough rookie season is all but cinching the top pick for Chicago. Young hasn’t topped 250 passing yards in a single game, and has thrown the same number (nine) of touchdowns and interceptions in his 12 starts.
Week 14 was especially egregious from Young and the Panthers. Young completed just 13 of his 36 pass attempts for 137 yards. He was sacked four times, and also fumbled for the fourth straight game. His pass protection is not good at all, but the pick that could go to help that out is instead ticketed for Chicago.
The Panthers are 1-12 after Week 14, giving them a two-game lead over New England and Arizona in the race to the worst record with four weeks left. Clinching the worst record would posit the Panthers with the first pick in every round of the 2024 NFL draft, which is helpful. But the Bears are going to benefit the most from Carolina’s miserable season.