All the pieces to find out about Panthers’ hiring of Dave Canales

The Carolina Panthers have been searching for an offensive-minded coach to assist flip quarterback Bryce Younger’s profession round and consider they discovered the answer in Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

The crew plans to rent Canales, 42, as their seventh head coach, league sources instructed ESPN on Thursday.

Particulars on the contract have but to be finalized, based on a league supply accustomed to negotiations who assured the deal would get completed.

The Panthers locked on Canales lower than 24 hours after Wednesday’s in-person interview with proprietor David Tepper, basic supervisor Dan Morgan and others on the search committee. In addition they had second interviews with Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Ejrio, who has interviewed for a number of head-coaching positions, is a candidate to stay with the Panthers as defensive coordinator, based on a league supply accustomed to the state of affairs.

Lately fired Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel was scheduled to interview in Charlotte on Thursday when information leaked out Canales was the selection.

Taking a more in-depth look, Panthers reporter David Newton solutions three key questions on what Canales’ hiring means for the franchise. Nationwide reporter Dan Graziano breaks down what he is listening to in regards to the rent, and draft analyst Jordan Reid examines their choices with no first-round choose in 2024. Lastly, entrance workplace analyst Mike Tannenbaum grades the rent.

Why did the Panthers go along with Canales?

Newton: He labored with Morgan, the just lately employed GM, for eight years (2010-17) in Seattle when Morgan was the director of professional personnel and Canales was the extensive receivers coach. So there was familiarity. However Canales’ historical past with growing quarterbacks was arguably the largest purpose. He helped Russell Wilson (2020) and Geno Smith (2022) to career-best seasons in Seattle when he was the pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He helped Baker Mayfield, who failed with the Panthers in 2022, to a profession yr this previous season because the offensive coordinator of the Buccaneers.

Canales additionally will likely be open to maintaining defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who was a candidate for the job and interviewed with two different groups. Ejiro’s unit was prime 5 in whole protection final season and he’s below contract. A crew supply mentioned ideally the plan could be to maintain Ejiro and as a lot of the protection as doable intact. Canales additionally possible will likely be open to maintaining particular groups coordinator Chris Tabor, who was the interim coach after Frank Reich was fired 11 video games into final season.

How does this impression Bryce Younger?

Newton: Simply have a look at what Canales did for Wilson, Smith and Mayfield. Every handed for greater than 4,000 yards to set profession highs. Every had profession highs in landing passes, 40 for Wilson, 30 for Smith and 28 for Mayfield. Every had a completion share of 64.3% or increased, topped by Smith at 69%. He is acquired a knack for scheming an offense that performs to the quarterback’s strengths and the power of these round him. That is what Younger wants coming off a season during which his 11 touchdowns tied for the fewest in NFL historical past for a quarterback with not less than 500 makes an attempt. That is what Younger wants after finishing solely 59.8% of his passes.

What are the largest roster questions dealing with the Panthers this offseason?

Newton: Rebuilding an offensive line that allowed Younger to be sacked a team-record 62 occasions must be on the prime of the checklist. Among the many selections will likely be whether or not left sort out Ikem Ekwonu will stay or transfer to protect. After that, locking down exterior linebacker Brian Burns to a long-term deal and probably getting one completed with defensive sort out Derrick Brown. Each are the inspiration of a strong protection.

However many of the effort will likely be on the offensive facet, the place Canales might want to add a No. 1 receiver with pace and probably a top-flight tight finish to take strain off Younger. The Panthers do not have a No. 1 choose, having traded that to the Chicago Bears for the highest choose to draft Younger final season. However they’ve the primary choose of the second spherical and are anticipated to have about $40 million in wage cap house. Attracting prime expertise to a corporation that has had six straight shedding seasons would be the hardest activity.

What are you listening to across the league on the rent?

Graziano: Most individuals I’ve talked to about this job for the previous couple of months believed Tepper was set on hiring a coach with an offensive background to attempt to maximize the return on Younger. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was considered a prime goal, however there are different groups which have expressed curiosity in him, and therein lies the problem. Folks across the league questioned whether or not Carolina would be capable to appeal to candidates who have been in excessive demand due to considerations about instability and the impatience of Tepper. Keep in mind, they employed Reich as head coach this time final yr and fired him in Week 11.

Canales’ historical past with Morgan reveals they know easy methods to work collectively, which is encouraging. I believe there was going to be skepticism about this rent irrespective of who it was — not due to the coach however due to Tepper. A few folks I spoke to discovered it attention-grabbing that the Panthers would rent a coach based mostly partially on how a lot he acquired out of Mayfield in 2023 when the Panthers could not get something out of Mayfield in 2022.

Who will Canales and the Panthers hope falls out of Spherical 1 and is there at No. 33 in April?

Reid: The main focus of the Panthers’ offseason ought to now be revamping the supporting solid round Younger. Receiver Adam Thielen was the one constant pass-catcher in 2023, and the Panthers averaged a league-low 9.3 yards per catch. They really want so as to add a number of playmakers this offseason — particularly pass-catchers who can generate yards after the catch.

Though Carolina would not have a first-round choose in April, Texas’ Xavier Worthy and South Carolina’s Xavier Legette are two intriguing guys who could possibly be there at No. 33. And Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and Texas A&M’s Ainias Smith is also potentialities if Carolina opts to attend till the third or fourth spherical to handle the WR problem.

How would you grade this rent?

Tannenbaum: C+. Canales is a brilliant younger offensive thoughts, however he has just one season of playcalling expertise. This rent was clearly made to maximise Younger’s growth, and whereas I believe Canales goes to assist there, his lack of expertise is a priority.