Panthers news: Dave Canales, OC interviews, Bryce Young and departures
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as new head coach Dave Canales wastes no time stamping his mark on the organization?
Dave Canales sent a not-so-subtle message on X (formerly Twitter) that 'nice' was about to end within the Carolina Panthers. The new head coach is keen to put the right building blocks in place to hit the ground running. That became obvious with a flurry of moves on Friday to signal the start of what will hopefully become a profitable era for the struggling franchise.
More announcements won't be long in the offing, one suspects. The Reece's Senior Bowl is also upcoming - one of the most prominent dates on the pre-draft assessment calendar. While we wait for more developments, the stories causing debate include Bryce Young's potential under Canales' leadership, a former Panthers player giving his approval, two experienced coaches being made surplus to requirements, and offensive coordinator interview requests beginning.
Nice ends today!!! Let’s get it!
— Dave Canales (@TheCoachCanales) January 26, 2024
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers OC interview requests
Thomas Brown is currently navigating his way through the hiring cycle. Things didn't go according to plan during his one season as Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator. Not all was his doing, but the progressive coach shouldn't be out of work for too long given the esteem in which he is held around the league.
The Panthers are moving in a different direction under Dave Canales. The team formally made two interview requests for the offensive coordinator position on Friday. One holds close ties to the new head coach.
Brad Idzik followed Canales from the Seattle Seahawks down to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and could do so again if he impresses during an upcoming meeting. Marcus Brady has been a hot name in this cycle and will also stake his claim for the job.
Tracy Smith could take over as special teams coordinator if everything goes well. There are a lot of moving parts in Carolina. And this is just the start.