Panthers land Dave Canales for top job: Discussing new head coach’s outlook in Carolina

The Carolina Panthers have a new captain to steer their ship in 2024 ... and he’s a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator.

On Thursday, the Panthers agreed to terms on a contract with Dave Canales to be their next head coach. According to ESPN, Canales will join the organization on a six-year deal. He will also answer directly to owner David Tepper, similarly to newly promoted president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan.

Canales comes to Charlotte after spending just one season calling plays in Tampa Bay. The new Panthers head coach led the NFL’s 17th-ranked passing offense last season, and he guided former Carolina quarterback Baker Mayfield to a career year.

On the latest episode of the Processing Blue podcast, Panthers beat reporter Mike Kaye and sports columnist Scott Fowler discuss Canales’ outlook in Carolina. Will he be a strong tutor for quarterback Bryce Young? Can he fix the NFL’s worst passing offense?

Plus, the duo discusses the new power structure in the front office. Will Tepper steer clear of decision-making, or is this new duo set for more of the same behind the scenes? And will Morgan and Canales be able to hit the ground running as a tandem due to their similar backgrounds with the Seattle Seahawks?

This story was originally published January 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM.

Mike Kaye

The Charlotte Observer

Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription