Panthers expected to hire Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave ...

The hiring makes plenty of logical sense for a club seeking a steady guide for quarterback Bryce Young. The former No. 1 overall pick did not progress in his first season, which ended up being a nightmarish campaign in which Carolina fired Young's coach, Frank Reich, midway through his first year.

While Young struggled, Canales made magic with the reclamation project that was Baker Mayfield in 2023, guiding the quarterback to the best season of his career, a wild-card win and an appearance in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. Carolina seems to be hiring Canales with the hopes he can do the same with Young, a quarterback for whom the Panthers gave up plenty of capital and watched him finish last in passing yards per attempt and passer rating as a rookie.

The 42-year-old Canales brings 14 seasons of NFL coaching experience to Charlotte, where he'll oversee an entire team for the first time in his career. He owns a championship-winning pedigree, helping Seattle win Super Bowl XLVIII as assistant quarterbacks coach for former Seahawks star signal-caller Russell Wilson, but will be tested under a much brighter spotlight as Panthers owner David Tepper's latest choice to lead his struggling franchise.