Panthers coach Dave Canales’ philosophy on drafting RBs was ingrained in him in Seattle
The Carolina Panthers brought in Rico Dowdle and retained Raheem Blackshear in free agency this offseason. But that doesn’t mean they’re done adding to their running back room in 2025.
Despite having Chuba Hubbard at the top of the totem pole following a career year, the Panthers could use some more talent on the depth chart. As 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks recovers from his second ACL surgery in as many offseasons, the organization is looking for more young talent at a position that is heavily valued by the coaching staff and front office.
Canales, since taking the head coaching position last offseason, has emphasized his desire to run his offense through the rushing attack. In turn, the Panthers have invested in that mindset: paying Hubbard following his first 1,000-yard season, selecting Brooks on Day 2 last year, and adding Dowdle this offseason to replace Miles Sanders and fill in for Brooks for as the No. 2 back in the lineup.
Canales says he is looking forward to leading a backfield with Hubbard and Dowdle rotating in and out of the lineup. He believes the pair offers a sense of steadiness to the ground game.
“For me, it’s just the continuity that we’re afforded when you have two guys that have the same type of style,” Canales said last week at the NFL’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. “I know some people try to have people that complement each other with different attributes. But man, if you’ve got two war daddies like that, who can go in there and keep that attitude and toughness going for the group — I think that’s really critical.”
With Hubbard and Dowdle having similar styles, conventional NFL wisdom would lead one to believe the Panthers are in the market for a shiftier, pass-catching back. But Canales cautions that a specific style isn’t on his wish list. And that has nothing to do with the current running back room.
Canales established his draft philosophy with running backs in Seattle when he served as a longtime assistant to then-Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. At the time, the Seahawks used a downhill attack — partially plotted by veteran offensive line coach Tom Cable — which tended to lean heavily on a playmaker’s running ability above anything else.
All these years later, Canales is still programmed to think that way.
“My philosophy with the running backs is you take the best runner,” Canales said. “So, I’m not looking for a style, I’m not looking for a complement — I’m looking for the best runner available, wherever we decide to take the running back. Who is that person?
“And then, if you start with a good runner, what ends up happening a lot of times is a guy busts his shoelace, so the other guy is in, and if you always have a good runner, you’re never pigeon holed, like, ‘This guy is more of a receiving-type back,’ or ‘This guy is more of the this or that.’ And that came from Pete, that came from Tom Cable, in my years in Seattle.
“Just pick the best runners, and if they have other cool attributes, we’ll incorporate that into the offense.”
While the Panthers aren’t likely to take the running back plunge as early as they did last year with Brooks, Carolina still has eyes on the position heading into this month’s NFL Draft.
Given Canales’ tendency to favor the ground-and-pound attack, the Panthers could potentially take a running back in the middle rounds, giving them insurance for Hubbard and Dowdle in 2025, as well as Brooks in the future.
Prospects such as Central Florida’s RJ Harvey, Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter, Arizona’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Miami’s Damien Martinez and Kansas’s Devin Neal could fall into the range where the Panthers would be comfortable selecting a running back.
With Hubbard, Dowdle and Blackshear on the roster, the Panthers have some flexibility. And though the position is at a premium for the Panthers, Canales is keeping his options open when it comes to enhancing the group.
His mindset is simple: give him good runners and let him figure out the rest.
