This is the time of the year that Panthers fans have come to cherish. They are riding the high of the draft, and April showers have started springing up May flowers of hope for success in the new league year.

The Panthers are back in prime time (Monday Night Football) after being left out in 2024. They're also in line, with the league's fifth-easiest schedule, to potentially be a contender in the weak NFC South if they can get off to a winning start for only the second time in the past six seasons.

It's been a turbulent few years for the Carolina Panthers, but signs of progress are beginning to emerge.  Since David Tepper purchased the franchise in 2018,