Dave Canales stays positive amid ongoing Carolina Panthers' turbulence

After three days that seemed like three months following their Week 2 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Dave Canales was probably relieved to get the Carolina Panthers back onto the practice field. There was more interest in this Wednesday session than most occasions, which stemmed from the team's decision to bench quarterback Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton.

Young was spotted looking somber as he walked out onto the field, where the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was demoted to running the scout team. This is a rapid fall from grace for the signal-caller, who's been taken out of the firing line as the Panthers look to salvage something from another campaign that's threatening to spiral into the proverbial abyss.

Players were saying all the right things about Young after practice, but that's merely papering over the cracks. Confidence has been broken and the trust is gone from both sides. Once that happens, there's no way back.

Dave Canales stays positive about Carolina Panthers' quarterback room

Canales remained steadfast in his belief when speaking to the media. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator still thinks the Panthers have a great situation in their quarterback room. He also praised Young for his response and revealed there are no plans to trade the Alabama product as things stand.

"We have a great situation. With our quarterbacks right now, with guys that have experience. So we love where we're at, and we're all hands on deck. We're focused on playing the Raiders this week. This is a developmentally-minded program. So the development didn't stop. Every rep he's out there, we're evaluating the whole thing, having and just continuing to push all of our guys, including Bryce, to take that next step every day is a growth, possibility, and opportunity. So we're fully committed to that role. He did a fabulous job today, and he played fast; he found some nice completions all over the field, and those are the things that we ask everyone to do: take your job seriously and attack it, and that's the expectation."

- Dave Canales via Panthers.com

Saying this is a great situation is extremely short-sighted. Canales isn't going to come out and publicly reveal his concerns given his glass-half-full approach to life. But sometimes, being vague isn't a bad thing.

Brushing off such a major move - especially considering the substantial investment made in Young - and proclaiming everything is rosy in Carolina's garden was pretty hollow. Fans have heard it all before. From Matt Rhule to Frank Reich and even the final days of Ron Rivera, it's been one excuse and delusional projection after another. It's early days for Canales, but he cannot fall into the same trap.

This all flips if the Panthers can somehow end another turbulent week with a victory at the Las Vegas Raiders. Antonio Pierce's men have started the season well and look rejuvenated under his leadership. They are looking to build on an impressive success at the Baltimore Ravens last time out, so Dalton needs to hit the ground running in pursuit of finally getting Carolina's campaign off and running.

As for Young? He'll be watching from the sidelines. It'll be interesting to see how he approaches this monumental change and what his body language looks like. Something that could have a lingering impact on his short and long-term future with the franchise.

It's a problem the Panthers could do without. Canales just has to roll with the punches and keep plowing forward to fix this mess.

Otherwise, the pressure is only going to mount.

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