Dave Canales oversaw improvements from his Carolina Panthers squad over the second half of 2024. The head coach navigated some turbulence over his first few months on the job, but there is now legitimate hope for the future.
The Panthers head into the offseason with some much-needed stability. Not being involved in the hiring cycle aside from a few defensive assistants represented a refreshing change of pace. Continuity is everything for building franchises. Taking advantage of this is paramount.
Carolina could be a sneaky wild-card team next season if the right reinforcements are acquired during the recruitment period. They'll need their current playing personnel to improve, but the strides made under Canales' guidance leave reasons for optimism in this regard.
NFL analyst offers promising outlook for Carolina Panthers under Dave Canales
This was a sentiment echoed by Maurice Moton from The Bleacher Report. He gave the Panthers a less-than-stellar D+ grade for their 2024 season overall. However, the analyst acknowledged progress will arrive next time around if quarterback Bryce Young continues to flourish and the defense gets a much-needed makeover in the coming months.
"The Carolina Panthers had a clunky start to the 2024 season, and their roster lacked talent on both sides of the ball. Still, you can see hope in their future. [Bryce] Young must continue to show improvement to fulfill the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick, but he trended in the right direction at the end of the term, throwing for seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in his last three games. The Panthers must add an influx of talent on all three levels of their defense, which gave up the most points and yards per game. Oft-injured cornerback Jaycee Horn and 31-year-old Jadeveon Clowney may be their best defenders."Maurice Moton
The grade might be a little harsh, but it's a fair assessment overall aside from ignoring Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown when discussing the team's most prolific defenders (out of sight, out of mind). After all, the Panthers only won five games despite being much more competitive once Young came back into the starting lineup.
This was never going to be a quick fix. General manager Dan Morgan wasn't going to call this a complete rebuild, but the front-office leader implemented a long-term strategy for sustainable growth. Team owner David Tepper is willing to give the project time, so demonstrating performance enhancements once again will ensure this mindset from the billionaire hedge fund manager continues.
Canales was the right man to lead the Panthers. It was a contentious hire considering his lack of experience, but the coach's previous connection to Morgan served Carolina well. It allowed them to hit the ground running, make decisions to benefit the team and maintain the same purpose through good times and bad.
The Panthers won back respectability. They are no longer the NFL's laughingstock and are being looked at differently in league circles. It's the first stepping stone back to the postseason. How long it takes to make the next step hasn't been determined.
It remains a precarious situation for Canales, Morgan, and others in positions of power. But after so long in the proverbial wilderness, there is light at the end of the tunnel.