At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Dave Canales, the newly hired head coach of the Carolina Panthers, announced his plan to focus the team’s offense around second-year quarterback Bryce Young. Canales emphasized that this approach does not entail fixing Young, who struggled as a rookie last season after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Rather, Canales aims to capitalize on Young’s strengths and create more explosive plays as an offense. Canales stated that the team needs to “minimize damage with exotic pressures and things like that” and elevate the entire group while asking Young to do his part. Although Canales did not provide specifics, he expressed excitement about implementing his plan and building an offense that centers around Young’s accuracy, intelligence, and awareness.
Canales’ reputation as a “quarterback fixer” played a significant role in his hiring by the Carolina Panthers, though he may not acknowledge it. During his time as the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach, Geno Smith experienced a resurgence under Canales’ guidance, earning his first-career Pro Bowl distinction in 2022 and being named the AP Comeback Player of the Year.
In 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appointed Canales as their offensive coordinator, and Baker Mayfield had the best season of his career while Canales called the plays.
The Panthers are placing their bets on Young’s improvement under Canales’ tutelage. In the previous season, Young threw for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on 59.8% passing in 16 games, with Carolina owning the league’s worst offense.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Young struggled to release the ball on time, holding onto it for an average of 2.9 seconds. Canales aims to change that in 2024, with checkdowns taking 2.7 seconds, downfield throws taking 3.4 seconds, and play-action passes taking 4.2 seconds.
Canales plans to be strict about timing during spring training and camp, a practice that he claims is not new or unique to the Panthers. “I’ll be a crazy stickler about it,” he stated.
