5 players who could follow Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers could sign Mike Evans

I couldn't leave this one out.

Bryce Young is in dire need of better weapons. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft suffered greatly from having almost no consistent pass-catcher aside from veteran Adam Thielen, who might be on his way out after being sold false promises of playoff contention by Frank Reich and the previous regime.

This is something that won't have gone unnoticed by new head coach Dave Canales during his research. It just so happens that a wide receiver he knows well could hit the open market unless he can reach an agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mike Evans is one of the league's most underrated wide receivers. He's gone over 1,000 receiving yards in every season he's been in the league. That's a decade of exceptional production that shows no signs of slowing down. If the same trend continues, there's a good chance he'll be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Evans has long been a thorn in Carolina's side. The former first-round pick spoke extremely highly of Canales during the season. Could it be enough to ditch his loyalty and leave the Buccaneers for an NFC South rival?

It would be a bombshell of epic proportions if the Panthers could pull this off. Their chances have certainly improved thanks to Canales' appointment. At the same time, Evans is unlikely to be short of suitors if the wideout and Tampa Bay go their separate ways.

This would be the genuine WR1 that Young is seeking. Something that could help the signal-caller as he looks to bounce back from an indifferent first year in the pros.