Carolina Panthers, coach Dave Canales reportedly decide on a new offensive coordinator
It appears that Dave Canales’ coaching staff with the Carolina Panthers is beginning to take shape.
The Panthers are expected to hire Brad Idzik as their offensive coordinator, according to a report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The Panthers would not confirm that report early Tuesday afternoon.
This hire would be Canales’ first major coaching staff hire after he was appointed as the franchise’s head coach last week.
It was previously reported that Thomas Brown, last year’s offensive coordinator, as well as other key coaches like offensive line coach James Campen and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, wouldn’t be retained.
The Panthers requested to interview Idzik a day after Canales was hired. The two worked together in Seattle and in Tampa Bay — and if Canales intends on calling plays, his offensive coordinator will serve as a schemer and game-planner and will thus need to be aligned with the head coach’s offensive philosophy.
Idzik’s rise, similar to that of Canales, has been quick. Idzik, 32, was most recently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wide receivers coach, where he witnessed and aided in the emergence of a passing game led by a resurgent Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Before that, the Panthers’ new OC was in Seattle — as assistant wide receivers coach (2019-20, 2022) and offensive quality control/assistant quarterbacks coach (2021) — after starting his career in Stanford as an offensive graduate assistant for five seasons (2014-18).
Idzik also played wide receiver at Wake Forest and is the son of former New York Jets general manager John Idzik Jr.
Getting the most out of second-year quarterback Bryce Young and turning around a Panthers offense that was largely bereft of life in 2023 is the top charge for Canales and his staff. The 2-15 Panthers finished this past regular season 31st (out of 32 teams) in points per game (13.9), last in yards per game (265.3) and 30th in quarterback sack percentage (10%), per Team Rankings.
Young, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, finished with 2,877 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions — with a QBR of 33.3.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to Carolina Panthers
In other news, another Tampa Bay assistant coach is headed to Carolina in Harold Goodwin, a league source told The Observer. The news was first reported by NFL Network. Goodwin was the Bucs’ run-game coordinator last season — supervising the 990-yard, six-touchdown season of Rachaad White — and will be the Panthers’ assistant head coach and run-game coordinator working with the offensive line.
A league source also told The Observer that Bucs’ offensive line coach Joe Gilbert will be joining Canales’ staff in Carolina. First on the news was FOX Sports.
Other Panthers offensive coaching assistants
Later Tuesday night, in addition to the hirings of Goodwin and Gilbert, the Panthers announced that the team had agreed to terms with Bernie Parmalee to be the next running backs coach, as well as with Rob Moore to be the next wide receivers coach.
Parmalee has been with the Jacksonville Jaguars under the same title the past three seasons. Moore spent the past six seasons with the Tennessee Titans as receivers coach.
This is a developing story.
This story was originally published January 30, 2024 at 1:41 PM.
