5 players who could follow Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers
By Dean Jones
Which players could follow Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers this offseason after he became their next head coach?
Fans are still trying to digest the appointment of Dave Canales. It's not the biggest name on the head coaching cycle - not by a long shot. But the Carolina Panthers weren't exactly flush with interest from around the league thanks to their lowly situation and team owner David Tepper's floundering reputation.
Canales is a great coach. He's got a strong reputation for helping quarterbacks galvanize their careers. There is a lack of experience attached, but this could also be a case of Carolina getting ahead of the game if the progressive play-caller maintains his upward trajectory.
There is a lot of hard work ahead for Canales and in-house promotion Dan Morgan. Their primary objective is to mold a competitive roster following their two-win campaign. Every avenue must be explored and every available resource maximized. The head coach might also turn to some trusted former associates to hit the ground running.
With this in mind, here are five players who could follow Canales to the Panthers this offseason.
Carolina Panthers could sign Aaron Stinnie
The Carolina Panthers are in desperate need of assistance on the offensive line. Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen returning to health should help, but depth is a major issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Aaron Stinnie wouldn't be the highest-profile name imaginable, but he's got starting experience. The former undrafted free agent out of James Madison played 717 snaps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, giving up two sacks and conceding four penalties. He's a solid if not spectacular performer, but one could argue he'd be an immediate upgrade on any options behind Corbett and Christensen on Carolina's depth chart.
Going down the draft route would be cheaper. But this adds another veteran presence to call upon as Dave Canales looks to make an immediate impression in Carolina.