It wasn't easy for Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales during his first season. However, the enthusiastic figure is confident the tide is turning.
Not just on the field, but across the building with newfound belief.
Canales oversaw encouraging progress from his squad over the second half of 2024. It took a while for the coach's ethos and culture shift to bear fruit, but he got there in the end. That was evident with some morale-boosting wins down the stretch and running some leading contenders — the newly crowned Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles included — extremely close.
There is a lot of hard work ahead. The Panthers had to rectify some severe defensive issues during Dan Morgan's second recruitment period. If they navigate the draft effectively, there's a good chance Canales' squad can surprise once again next season.
Dave Canales believes Carolina Panthers will benefit from last season's rollercoaster
He believes anything is possible. This is starting to envelop the playing personnel, who Canales thinks have altered their perception of what they could potentially accomplish with the correct refinement and newly acquired stability.
Canales provided Joe Person of The Athletic with examples of how things are changing. It's not something you can measure, but the coach sees something different in the eyes of his players that should serve them well entering Year 2 under his leadership.
"Xavier Legette’s different. He’s in the building. You see him in passing. Bryce [Young] is different. He was there last week, came in for a couple of days to say hi. Their eyes are different. Their world view and perspective are different after going through the experiences of a year. Everyone’s changing."Dave Canales
The fact Canales mentioned Xavier Legette and Bryce Young specifically is telling. Both players have points to prove next season. Both were given supreme votes of confidence from the Panthers this offseason. Now is the time to repay this faith.
Canales inherited an ungodly mess. He knew this was going to be a long-term project, but there was an aligned vision with general manager Dan Morgan. Thankfully, the progress made was enough for team owner David Tepper to maintain continuity, which is arguably the biggest positive of all after years of dysfunction.
The Panthers responded to Canales. His unrivaled positivity through good times and bad provided the catalyst behind better fortunes as the campaign went on. It wasn't perfect, but it was a big sign that his methods were working.
If the incoming recruits hit the ground running, Morgan gets some decent early returns from his 2025 draft class, and Carolina's young players all develop accordingly, the Panthers are going to be a tough out next season. They could even find themselves in wild-card consideration when it's all said and done.
This is a step-by-step process. The Panthers haven't achieved a winning record throughout Tepper's ownership to date. That should be the immediate benchmark for which to aim. Anything after that is a bonus.
Canales sees a new determination in his players. If this transitions to a competitive setting, the Panthers should profit greatly.