Dave Canales wants the Panthers’ offense to be led by Bryce Young

Dave Canales wants the Panthers’ offense to be led by Bryce Young

Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who followed Canales from Tampa Bay, echoed the same message: “Bryce is insanely smart. When you give him structure and consistency, he’s going to thrive.”

One of the more nuanced elements of Canales’ leadership is his ability to hold players accountable without creating fear. For Young, that means he’ll be evaluated, pushed, and coached hard—but not scapegoated for team struggles.

“There’s no magic timeline,” Canales said. “He’s going to make mistakes, we all will. But we’re committed to learning together and growing. He’s not on an island.”

This approach removes the specter of constant pressure that haunted Young during his rookie season. Instead, it replaces it with the freedom to grow, backed by a coach who believes in him

The Panthers aren’t entering 2024 with illusions of overnight transformation. But they are entering with belief—belief that their young quarterback can develop into the player they drafted him to be, and that Canales is the right coach to get him there.

The plan is clear:

Let Young take command of the offense.

Put him in a system that emphasizes timing, protection, and quick reads.

Give him targets who can separate and make plays.

Protect him physically and mentally.

Allow him to grow without panic or overcorrection.

If that sounds like Quarterback Development 101, that’s because it is. But the Panthers are finally applying the theory in practice—and doing so with unwavering focus on Bryce Young.

Dave Canales didn’t arrive in Carolina with a promise to fix everything overnight. What he brought instead was clarity of purpose: build around Bryce Young. Invest in him. Trust him. Coach him. Let him lead.

That clarity might be the most important thing Young’s had since being drafted. For the first time in his NFL career, he’s not fighting for attention in a broken system—he’s the foundation of a new one.

The Panthers’ future runs through No. 9. And with Dave Canales in charge, that future just got a whole lot brighter