Difficult time brings honest compassion from Carolina Panthers head coach

It's easy to get wrapped up in the chaos at this time of year. Final rosters are being devised. Trades are being discussed. Fans are growing increasingly excited for the regular season and what the future might bring. That's not the case for everybody.

Teams must get their rosters down from 90 players to an initial 53-man squad by Tuesday's deadline at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Some who don't quite make the grade will be claimed off the waiver wire or make it back onto practice squads. Hundreds will see their NFL dreams come to an abrupt halt.

That's the lost part in all this. Players work tirelessly to stake a claim. Some won't be talented enough. Others will suffer because of the numbers game. For a select few, the margins for error couldn't be slimmer, but they cannot do anymore.

Final cuts weigh heavily on Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales

The Carolina Panthers have some tough decisions ahead. This is weighing heavily on head coach Dave Canales, who is looking to take an honest yet compassionate approach to discussions with those who don't make it based on comments via the team's website.

"It's always been a heavy time for me. It should always hurt and if it doesn't, I'm not doing it right, I'm doing it wrong. The connection—go for it. Don't hold anything back for the sake of saying, you know, this guy may not be here. Just invest; invest in each other, enjoy every moment, enjoy every day, the challenge of the training camp. What I hope to do is, all the guys that we end up cutting, I will speak to them and I will give them some honest feedback. Here's what you did well, here are the things that I think you need to improve upon that would have vetted well for you in terms of making this team.' And I just want to give them some good honest feedback. That's what I would have wanted."

- Dave Canales via Panthers.com

This is the character of the man. Some get a quick phone call or just merely told they're being let go. Providing them with feedback and comfort at a difficult time for their career prospects is the least Canales believes they deserve.

Canales is a personable guy who resonates well with the modern-day player. He knows better than anybody how much blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this offseason. He'll also know how hard those on the fringes have worked to impress the coaching staff in pursuit of involvement.

This is all part of being an NFL head coach. Letting people down and leaving people disappointed is part of the job, unfortunately. However, ensuring they are fully aware of what went into the decision and what they need to do to get better is above and beyond the call of duty.

The Panthers aren't harboring any resentment to their decision-making process with Canales and general manager Dan Morgan leading the charge. At the same time, acknowledging these players aren't machines and they have feelings is essential.

Canales has already figured that out. That won't change their status or make things easier, but it provides a sense of warmth in a terrible moment whether they are expecting the chop or not.

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