To which to expect from Bryce Young, panthers of the 2nd season of Dave Canales Originally appeared on Sports Athlon.
Two years after their 15-1 alley with the NFL MVP, Cam Newton under the center and went to the Super Bowl, it seemed that the Panthers of Caroline bounced with a season 11-5 and a place in the playoffs after a disappointment of 6-10 in 2016.
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But they have not had a winning season since, on average nearly 12 defeats per year in the last six campaigns.
They are on their seventh head coach during this six-year period, but Dave Canales may well make them move in the right direction.
During its first season which led the ship, its first as a head coach of the NFL after being a first game player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers division rival the previous year, Canales led the Panthers to improve three victories in 2024 after an effort of two victories in 2023, winning two of their last three games and showing a marked improvement in several areas.
Dave Canales led the Panthers to improve three victories in his first season as a chief coach. © Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
On the last episode of “Best Podcast available,” I sat with Greg Aman of Fox Sports to talk about what a year 2 would look like the Canales and the Panthers in 2025.
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“I think it’s a team that has a positive trajectory now, for the first time in some time,” said Auman. “To go from a team to two victories, to five victories last year, and to have the momentum for a better second half (from the 2024 season) for Bryce Young, a better half for Dave Canales. Right now, I am thinking of them in this territory at 7 victories, perhaps challenge them, if they make second place (in the division).
Coming out of this promising finish, the Panthers made quality additions to their defense in free agency in the hope of strengthening a unit that fought powerfully last season after losing key veterans like Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn.
“I think it’s always a bad defense,” admitted Auman. “They have a long way to go to be competitive on this side of the ball.
Bryce Young showed lightning lightning in 2nd year, but they must be more consistent in 2025 Sylvanie-Imagn images
The defensive improvement will be essential for continuous improvement in 2025, but as is the case with each NFL team, the Panthers will go through their quarter.
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“They also have to take a step in attack,” said Auman. “You are two years old with Bryce Young, and he has only a 300 yards match in his career. So you have to get to the point where you expect 250-300 yards, several affected, points in the high-20s, 30s. They didn’t have that.”
To this end, the panthers have passed among the first 10 in the draft of the NFL 2025 on the receiver of the Arizona Tetairoa McMillan, giving Bryce Young a massive target which can have a large impact immediately.
“If you are thinking of the success that Canales has experienced and what he has known, it is the major X receptors,” said Auman. “It’s DK Metcalf in Seattle, it’s Mike Evans in Tampa. We don’t know if McMillan is one or the other of these guys, but he has this piece now.”
McMillan has the talent to immediately rewrite Carolina’s recruit records in this position, and should team up with the first 2024 Xavier Legette round to give Young a productive reduction tandem for years to come.
Tetairoa McMillan gives Bryce Young another dynamic passing past to strengthen the passing game. © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“Panthers have a recruit receiver of 1,000 yards in their history, and it was Kelvin Benjamin,” said Auman. “Only one season when a recruit has experienced more than five affected. Christian McCaffrey holds the recruit reception record. McMillan can occur immediately, and Legette will be a good n ° 2, a solid volume receiver for them. But I think McMillan can bring their offense to another level, where you win games with Bryce Young, not in conformity with Bryce Young.”
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If they can remain quite healthy and rely on last year’s improvements, the Panthers could end up going from a team of 10 perennial losses to a club that plays significant football in the last weeks of the season.
“If it’s more than seven victories, it will be a good story,” said Auman. “Because they will be in competition in December for a place of Joker. If you are Dave Canales, I think it is the most optimistic,” at what speed can this team be competitive and relevant “,” if it is just in attack, and if it is not a defense of 10 at the end of 10, it is a path of 7-10, 8-9 “.
Dave Canales and Bryce Young finished the 2025 season with a certain positive impetus. © Brett Davis-Imagn Images
One has the impression that the panthers have already started to separate from the saints of New Orleans at the bottom of the NFC South ranking, and then will fill the gap in front of them with the Falcons of Atlanta, fighting for second place behind a team of Tampa Bay Buccaneers who won the division four consecutive years.
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“So that they are now in the conversation where the distance between Atlanta and Carolina feels closer than the distance between Atlanta and Tampa, it’s a good thing for Carolina,” said Auman. “I don’t know if they support it. I don’t know if it will be another step forward (this season), but they tend in this direction.”
To check the whole conversation, including deep dives in each NFC South team, see the full episode of BPA:
Related: BUCs have the NFC South, and they are ready to win it again in 2025
Related: Can Falcons finally dethrone the BUCs in the South NFC?
This story was initially reported by Sports Athlon On June 9, 2025, where he appeared for the first time.
