By Zach Barnett It’s easy to forget now, but the Carolina Panthers nearly reached the playoffs in 2022. Sure, they went 7-10 and somehow finished only one game behind division champion Tampa Bay, and they also technically tied for last in the NFC South since Atlanta and New Orleans also finished 7-10, and Tampa Bay was quickly and thoroughly bounced in the Wild Card round by Dallas. All caveats apply. But the club’s 7-10 finish was still impressive considering they started 1-4. Steve Wilks guided the Panthers to a 6-6 record after Matt Rhule’s mid-season firing, but owner David Tepper elected …