What telling quotes made by new Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales should have every fan excited for the future?
There was an enormous sense of excitement surrounding the introductory press conference of new Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales. This was held in conjunction with president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan. It was standing room only at Bank of America Stadium - including some former team greats - to hear what they had to say.
A lot of hard work is ahead for Canales and Morgan. The Panthers are a two-win team giving up the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, dwelling on the past isn't going to do anyone much good in pursuit of a brighter future.
Canales is a charismatic guy and a rising star in league circles. There are concerns about such a big responsibility being too soon considering he's got one year of NFL play-calling experience. But it just might pay off en route to better days ahead.
As expected, there was a lot to unpack. On this topic, here are three key quotes from Canales that should have every fan excited for the future.
Dave Canales will relish the challenge
Being Carolina Panthers head coach has been a poisoned chalice under team owner David Tepper. This is a trend Dave Canales will look to buck, but the new appointment is under no illusions as to the size of the task awaiting him in Charlotte.
Canales admitted to being a little nervous about his newfound responsibilities. That's the same with any new job. However, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator is going to embrace the challenge and give it his all in his quest to turn this once-proud franchise back into a legitimate force.
"Can I say I’m nervous? Is that alright? This is a big task. This is serious for me. I don’t take that lightly … I’m fired up about it. I love a great challenge."Dave Canales via The Athletic
Nobody in their right mind is expecting miracles overnight. Getting the Panthers off their knees and into playoff consideration will take time. Something that Tepper would be wise to afford Canales after getting everything else wrong on the football side since buying the franchise from Jerry Richardson.
Dave Canales believes in Bryce Young
One of the biggest reasons why the Carolina Panthers went with Dave Canales - aside from the perceived lack of interest in both jobs around the NFL - was his ability to bring on quarterbacks. It just so happens that this franchise has a big investment in need of further refinement.
Bryce Young struggled as a rookie. Most of it wasn't his fault, but the fact remains. Finding a way to nurture his talent is going to be the core component of Canales' role in Carolina.
Fortunately for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Canales seems to have supreme belief in his capabilities as a potential franchise option under center. This stems from his evaluations during the pre-draft cycle last year and what he's seen from the Heisman Trophy winner during a turbulent first year in the pros.
"I was able to really dive in and what I saw there was just that really accurate passer, a courageous quarterback, not just talking about specific pocket presence but also just critical games, the amount of games he won at every level really, as a high school player, as a college player at Alabama, this guy is just a winner. He's got the right makeup to be able to be a champion. And so then you watch him play NFL football, and I still see the accuracy, the mobility, the courage in the pocket. All those things are still there. So now it's just about building an offense in its totality that is a good product so that he's just 1/11 of that process."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This is extremely promising. Whether you're a believer in Young or not, he has the right man guiding him in Canales. The head coach also has a proven track record of galvanizing the likes of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield - two men who were written off before the progressive play-caller worked his magic.
Dave Canales wants Ejiro Evero back
The Carolina Panthers didn't pull up any trees this season, but the team's defensive unit was a shining light amid the chaos. It wasn't easy thanks to injuries and the offensive inefficiency, but Ejiro Evero kept things ticking over nicely in difficult circumstances.
It wasn't surprising to see Evero generate head coaching interest during the cycle. He remains widely respected and should get a top job one day. Unfortunately, the defensive coordinator didn't do enough to convince the Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, or Seattle Seahawks to take the plunge.
Things are about to get interesting between the Panthers and Evero. Speculation is rife about the coach wanting a fresh start away from the organization. He's under contract and has been blocked from any lateral moves. There is an intent to keep him around to work with Dave Canales, something the head coach reaffirmed during his introductory presser.
Dave Canales said he expects Ejiro Evero to be back as defensive coordinator, calling that a "huge piece" for the Panthers.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) February 1, 2024
Canales spoke glowingly about Evero. He highlighted how difficult it was to play against his defenses from a schematic standpoint. More importantly for fans, it seems as if Canales is fully on board with maintaining a status quo on the defensive side of things.
While there wouldn't be much point in keeping Evero around if he isn't fully bought in, Canales' passionate tone - reminiscent of his mentor Pete Carroll - could be enough to persuade him that this is a project worth being part of. Something that would keep continuity and give Carolina a head start in their pursuit of progress.