5 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering Week 9 against the Saints
By Dean Jones
Dave Canales - Carolina Panthers HC
The notion of Dave Canales' future beyond the current campaign being in jeopardy seems far-fetched right now. He's a good friend of general manager Dan Morgan's and has a long-term plan in place. The Carolina Panthers need to be patient despite things unraveling quickly this season.
Canales knows performances must be better. He came under fire for his conservative play-calling that didn't open up until it was too late at the Denver Broncos. This also lent further weight to the claims he has no faith whatsoever in quarterback Bryce Young.
There isn't much confidence associated with the Panthers following their abysmal 1-7 start. Morale is low among the fanbase as the franchise remains rooted to rock bottom. Canales must weather the storm and offer some optimism for the future over the second half of 2024.
Looking at the games upcoming, Canales must get something from Carolina's final two contests before the bye week. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator can help his chances by being brave and fully trusting his players to execute a more creative game plan.
Xavier Legette - Carolina Panthers WR
With Diontae Johnson traded to the Baltimore Ravens and Adam Thielen also expected to miss the contest despite being listed as questionable, the Panthers will once again be relying on their young wide receivers to step up and make a lasting impression. As a first-round selection, the onus is on Xavier Legette more than most.
The Panthers saw promise in Legette before trading up to take him at No. 32 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He's not the finished product by any stretch of the imagination. However, the flashes displayed by the former South Carolina star throughout his rookie campaign so far leave reasons for encouragement.
As previously mentioned, the New Orleans Saints are dealing with some significant injury issues in their secondary. That means opportunities should be plentiful for Legette if Dave Canales schemes things correctly and opens things up in the passing game.
Legette has the size, explosiveness, and physicality to cause endless problems for the Saints in Week 9. A big performance will go a long way to securing Carolina's second triumph of the campaign.
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