With the NFL season kicking off in less than a month, it’s important to look back on the major stories of the Carolina Panthers offseason. From a new coach to trades and draft picks, there has been plenty of movement. Here’s a recap of the most important occurrences for the Panthers this offseason.
Carolina Panthers Offseason Moves
New Head Coach
There’s a new head coach in town for the Panthers. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales was hired in the offseason after a dismal 2023 season. He will look to get his new team off to a better start this season.
The Panthers hired Canales from the Bucs after an impressive season with the team. He has never worked as a head coach before but has had plenty of experience on the sidelines. He spent 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before joining Tampa for a single season.
Canales was with the Seahawks from 2010 until 2022. While in Seattle, Canales worked in a variety of different positions. He was brought on as an offensive quality control coach before making his way to quarterback coaching and wide receiver coaching. he contributed to various successes while at the Seahawks.
One such success was the revival of quarterback Geno Smith during the 2022 season. Canales led Smith to receive his first career Pro Bowl selection and the award for Comeback Player of the Year by the AP and Pro Football Writers of America. Smith also became the NFL’s Most Improved Player due to his phenomenal statistics throughout the season.
Canales was hired by the Bucs to become their offensive coordinator. While in Tampa, he guided several players to career highs and led them to the playoffs with a high-spirited offense. Just as he did with Smith, Canales helped Baker Mayfield become a leader on the field. Mayfield set career highs in passing yards, completions, completion percentage, and touchdowns.
Second-year quarterback Bryce Young will have worked closely with Canales in the offseason. After a dismal rookie season, Young will want to have the type of revival that Smith and Mayfield had under Canales.
Offseason Roster Moves
There was lots of movement during the offseason for the Panthers. One big storyline came from the addition of Diontae Johnson after the Panthers made a high-profile trade for the wide receiver. The Panthers traded star cornerback Donte Jackson to the Pittsburgh Steelers to add Johnson to the offense. Johnson has been one of the top receivers for the Steelers and will look to keep up his good statistics in his first season with the Panthers.
More moves came during the 2024 draft, which saw additions like WR Xavier Legette and RB Jonathon Brooks. Legette looked fantastic in his last season with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He led the team in receptions and yards, while he had multiple games with two touchdowns. The Panthers will want to get the most out of him in his rookie season and will want to establish a good connection between him and Young.
Meanwhile, Brooks spent his final season at Texas on the sidelines after season-ending surgery for an ACL injury in November. Before his injury in 2023, Brooks started three games and recorded over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. Brooks will most likely be held out of the first few Panthers games but once he returns, he’ll attempt to challenge Chuba Hubbard for top spot at running back.
Looking Forward
The Panthers have made plenty of improvement in the offseason and will hope that this is enough to challenge for the NFC South. With a new head coach, there is positivity that he’ll have a good impact on the squad and improve positions that need working on. Draft picks will look to inspire the team and add a new element to the mix. Veteran players, like Johnson, will also need to step up and provide a much-needed boost this season.
Main Image: McKenzie Lange/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
