CHARLOTTE — Now that it's July, we're officially in the ramp-up to training camp and the start of the 2025 season.
So now's a good time to catch up with the Panthers' opponents this year and see what they've done this offseason to impact this year's matchup.
We'll go through these in order, so stay tuned for our breakdowns of the whole schedule.
OPPONENT: Dallas Cowboys
All-time series: The Panthers trail the series 3-12 (Carolina is 1-7 at home, 2-5 in JerryWorld). The Panthers are 2-0 in the playoffs.
Last year: The Cowboys are traveling to Bank of America Stadium for the third year in a row now, having played in Charlotte in 2023 and 2024 as well. The Panthers lost both of those games. Last season's loss was 30-14, on the heels of three games that had also been losses, but much better showings. In the mid-December game against the Cowboys though, Bryce Young threw two interceptions, fumbled twice and was sacked six times, while Chuba Hubbard was held to only 32 yards.
Meanwhile, future Panthers running back Rico Dowdle picked up 149 yards on 25 carries. And Cooper Rush, in place of an injured Dak Prescott, threw for less yardage than Young (214 yards vs. 219 yards) but put up three touchdowns with no turnovers.
A highlight of the day for the Panthers offense was Young's long ball to Jalen Coker for what would become a wide-open 83-yard touchdown.
2024 rankings and results
Record: 7-10
Total offense: 16th
Total defense: 28th
Personnel moves
Key additions in free agency: RB Miles Sanders, RB Javonte Williams, WR Parris Campbell, G Saahdiq Charles, G Robert Jones, T Hakeem Adeniji, DE Dante Fowler, DE Payton Turner, DT Solomon Thomas, LB Jack Sanborn. Resigned WR KaVontae Turpin, DT Osa Odijhizuwa, CB C.J. Goodwin, CB Israel Mukuamu, SS Markquese Bell, P Bryan Anger, LD Trent Sieg, C Dakoda Shelley.
Traded for WR George Pickens, CB Kaiir Elam, LB Kenneth Murray, QB Joe Milton.
Key additions in the draft: G Tyler Booker, DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, CB Shavon Revel, RB Jaydon Blue, LB Shemar James, OT Ajani Cornelius, DT Jay Toia, RB Phil Mafah, DT Tommy Akingbesote.
Changes from last year: While the cornerstones on both offense and defense stayed the same (Micah Parsons on one side, Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb on the other) there were plenty of other changes. The Panthers and the Cowboys made respective free agent signings that amounted to a swaparoo at running back; Dowdle to Carolina and Miles Sanders to Dallas. That was far from the only shakeup the Cowboys made this offseason though. While they were active in free agency, the club also hit the trade market hard, most notably bringing in George Pickens from the Steelers.
Off the field, Jerry Jones made a head coaching change, parting ways with Mike McCarthy after five seasons. In his place, Jones hired Brian Schottenheimer. This is his first head coaching gig. Schottenheimer has been a coach in the NFL since 2001, but always as a position coach or offensive coordinator. He was the Cowboys OC from 2023-2024, before the promotion to head coach. Klayton Adams, who spent last year with the Cardinals as offensive line coach, will take over as OC for the first time in his career. Former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus joined the team as defensive coordinator.
What to watch for in 2025: Prescott is back on the field after hamstring surgery sidelined him for most of 2024. He played only eight games. This a year after Prescott led the league in touchdowns (36) in 2023. Now the quarterback will integrate himself back into the offense with an additional weapon. The Cowboys are pairing Pickens with Lamb, hoping to create a 1a and 1b situation on the edges. The passings game could see more action for the Cowboys this season after guard Zack Martin retired following the 2024 season.
On defense, the team was able to retain some big free agent names to surround Parsons with, including pass rusher Dante Fowler, who has found success in Dallas before, and flourished back under Dan Quinn in Washington last season.
So how does a team with long-standing pillars (Prescott is now the longest tenured current Cowboy) mesh with new talent, new voices in the room, and a new coaching staff (albeit with a head coach who has been with the Cowboys)? That will remain the question and determine much of the season, including what happens in Charlotte in Week 6.
View all the action from the Panthers' game in Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys.
