Dave Canales was a surprising choice to replace Frank Reich as head coach. He had just one season of play-calling experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and there was no interest during the hiring cycle before the Carolina Panthers pounced. That didn't stop the NFC South team from taking the plunge.
This hire received criticism. Many analysts felt like this opportunity came too soon for Canales. They wondered how he would cope with managing an entire NFL operation, especially considering he was also planning to call offensive plays. It quickly became a baptism of fire as expected, but the Panthers displayed some encouraging signs at long last.
Carolina was never going to be in the Super Bowl hunt. However, Canales deserves plaudits for navigating some early turbulence and providing hope for the future.
Fans believe he was the right man for the job. It looks like the Panthers got ahead of the game rather than playing catch-up for the first time under David Tepper's ownership.
This gave the Panthers some vital stability heading into the 2025 offseason. They are not chasing a head coach, general manager, or starting quarterback. It's not the finished article just yet, but fans are starting to see some light at the end of a dark tunnel of perennial dismay.
Canales can look back on his first season with pride. With this in mind, here are the five best decisions made by the head coach in year one of his tenure.
Best decisions from Dave Canales in year one as Carolina Panthers head coach
Offensive line blocking concepts
The Carolina Panthers' offensive line was an abomination before Dave Canales' arrival. Everyone aside from stud right tackle Taylor Moton underperformed last season and quarterback Bryce Young paid a heavy price. But after some hefty investments, hopes were high this group could take a step forward in 2024.
Canales kept things simple. He hired Joe Gilbert to get them to sing from the same hymn sheet. The coach also implemented blocking concepts that were far better suited to their strengths.
This sounds simple, but it's a complication that Frank Reich and his staff couldn't solve. Everyone benefitted from the additions of Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt in free agency. Being more physical and getting the football out of the quarterback's hands quickly saw this unit go from a weak link to the team's biggest strength.
Changing the blocking concepts was a shrewd, necessary move from Canales. And the progress was a significant positive from start to finish.