Dave Canales is coming under fire. The Carolina Panthers are 1-6 following another embarrassing loss at the Washington Commanders in Week 7. They were beaten 40-7 without having to face rookie sensation Jayden Daniels for more than a single drive. The contest's outcome was a foregone conclusion after the first quarter. It was another embarrassing effort to cement their status among the league's bottom feeders.
With the Panthers going nowhere fast, calls to reinstall quarterback Bryce Young into the starting lineup are growing. Andy Dalton secured the league's worst QBR of the season (3.2) at the Commanders. The novelty has worn off and at 36 years old, he isn't part of the team's long-term plans.
Young might not be either. However, the Panthers have nothing to lose by throwing him back into the fire and getting a concise evaluation of the former No. 1 pick. Especially considering the substantial investment Carolina made in the player.
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales dodges Bryce Young questions
Media probed, and probed, and probed Canales about why he continues to play Dalton and what the future holds for Young. The head coach deflected these issues, focusing on a rehearsed line and passing the buck to others regarding ongoing trade speculation.
"Right now we’re focused on the Broncos. Andy’s playing this week and that’s really where our focus is at. All those other conversations are all hypothetical conversations that definitely Dan [Morgan] and Brandt [Tilis], we have to have, but right now we’re focused on playing the Broncos and getting Andy to take another step in terms of getting us back to playing good football. This is about Andy Dalton. This is about playing the Broncos. This is about taking strides with our group that we have in and that’s really where the focus is."Dave Canales via Pro Football Talk
Canales is growing increasingly coy in the media, which is unsurprising considering the training that players and coaches receive these days. Even so, it's not hard to see the wood through the trees on this one.
He's already in self-preservation mode. Canales doesn't have enough confidence in Young to risk his reputation. He'd rather move forward with a more experienced presence with obvious limitations and no real upside.
That's his prerogative. He's the head coach and sees more than the average fan about what's unfolding. At the same time, the need to start planning for the future has arrived just seven games into his head coaching tenure.
If the Panthers aren't going to play Young - if they see him as a lost cause - then trade him to the highest bidder. It's not that difficult given this is quickly becoming yet another ongoing distraction.
There would be teams willing to acquire Young. He was the consensus top quarterback in the 2024 class, so offers should be quick to arrive if the Panthers make him available. After all, who knows what the Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama could accomplish in a more stable environment?
It seems for all the smart money as if Canales has given up on Young just a few months after declaring him an exciting project and the right guy this offseason. No amount of question-deflecting can change that.
Actions speak louder than words.