Head coach and general manager press conferences at the NFL Scouting Combine can be somewhat tedious.
Everyone is jockeying for position. Nobody is giving too much away before things heat up during the offseason. But for the Carolina Panthers, there was a startling development that raised more than a few eyebrows across the fan base.
In a stunning development, head coach Dave Canales confirmed that he had given up play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. Darrell Bevell, the team's new assistant head coach and offensive specialist, will also be on hand to strategize from week to week.
Considering the Panthers made the playoffs and won the NFC South last season, it's a massive risk from Canales. However, he is confident it has the scope to drastically improve Carolina's football operations.
Dave Canales is confident Carolina Panthers' play-calling shift will reap rewards
Canales believes Idzik is ready for his big moment. He's been around the coach for a long time. He knows the demands, and he's already built a relationship with the offensive players and quarterback Bryce Young. This will also allow him to oversee everything rather than focusing specifically on one side of the football.
"I believe this is the right thing for the Panthers. He’s as ready as you’re going to get. I feel that his grasp of our system and our schemes, the mastery of it, those things and his camaraderie with knowing who our players are, knowing Bryce (Young), that’s a big piece of this thing."Dave Canales via The Athletic
This is a natural transition. Canales wanted to call the shots early in his tenure. Now that everyone is firmly familiar with the schematic concepts and their responsibilities, the time was seemingly right. Bevell's arrival made his decision even easier.
This is a critical stage of Carolina's exciting project, with general manager Dan Morgan and Canales leading the charge. Learning from Pete Carroll means the head man leaves nothing to chance. And if he didn't believe Idzik wasn't capable of taking full advantage of this exceptional opportunity, he wouldn't have made the transition.
Canales' play-calling has been criticized on occasion for being a little too conservative. There was a tentativeness and predictability attached, especially against the more elite defenses. Whether Idzik brings some extra explosiveness into the mix is anyone's guess, but it's an intriguing move that fans will be monitoring closely throughout the summer and into the 2026 campaign.
And who knows, if this goes well for Idzik, he might just be another progressive young offensive mind who could generate head-coaching interest in the not-too-distant future.