PALM BEACH, Fla. — Normally, when a team ranks 29th in a particular category, significant changes are expected during the offseason.
However, Dave Canales sees it differently when it comes to his offense. In his view, being ranked in the 20s is a sign of progress and potential for growth.
The Panthers are essentially returning the same group of players on offense this offseason, with the only notable addition being free-agent running back Rico Dowdle. While not much has changed, Canales is confident in this continuity, especially after watching his team develop in the second half of last season. He believes the lack of major changes is a positive for one key reason.
“There’s so much growth potential because of the general age and youth of our group,” Canales explained during the league’s annual meeting at The Breakers resort. “You’ve got Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, Ja’ Tavion Sanders, even Tommy Tremble — all super young.”
He added, “This core group is so young, and we’re just beginning to get comfortable with all of our schemes. I’m excited to see the micro-growth that happens with each player.
When evaluating the Panthers’ offense as it stands, there are seven key players aged 25 or younger. This youth factor overshadows their ranking of 29th in yardage last season, a statistic that doesn’t fully reflect the positive direction the team was heading toward as the season progressed.
Chuba Hubbard, the starting running back, will turn 26 in June. Tight end Tommy Tremble has four years of NFL experience but is still just 24, the same age as left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and Xavier Legette. Quarterback Bryce Young is 23, as is Jalen Coker. Additionally, running back Jonathon Brooks, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is only 21, meaning he’ll still be very young when he returns to the field.
Pairing this youthful talent with a returning offensive line, alongside experienced veterans like Adam Thielen (34) and Andy Dalton (37), creates a unique blend with its own identity.
While most of the attention naturally goes to Young, given his role as the quarterback, it’s the team’s ability to run the ball that has Dave Canales optimistic about building on the positive momentum from the latter half of last season.
“It’s about identity and play style,” he said when asked why he chose to maintain such a high level of continuity on offense for 2024. “We focused on getting the run game going, and we did that. Chuba and the offensive line have developed great chemistry. The tight ends bought in, the wide receivers too, and the whole group came together.”
He continued, “If we’re going to be a tough football team, it all starts with the run game. Getting over 1,000 yards and establishing that mindset really helps us stay on track and play the style of football we want. From a schematic standpoint, that was crucial.”
Building that foundation wasn’t easy or inexpensive. The team made significant investments in free agency last year, adding guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis (both 28, with plenty of prime years left), which allowed previous free agent addition Austin Corbett (29) to shift inside to center. With 30-year-old Taylor Moton on one side and Ekwonu on the other, this offensive line provided a solid foundation for both Bryce Young and the run game. After allowing a staggering 65 sacks in 2023, the number was reduced to 36 last year.
General Manager Dan Morgan has expressed his intention to extend Ikem Ekwonu to ensure the team secures him for the long term, helping to solidify another key young piece for the future.
“I think Ickey has shown us that he’s a dominant run blocker,” said Dave Canales. “He’s proven to be very reliable in pass protection as well. Of course, he’d be the first to tell you that there are areas he wants to improve, like hand placement and footwork. Those are goals for him moving forward.”
Canales added, “But I think we’ve found our left tackle. I love having Ickey on the left side and Taylormon Moton on the right. I feel good about our ability to compete against anyone with that combination.”
Moton, the oldest starter on the offensive line, is entering the final year of his contract. At this stage in his career, he’s accustomed to taking regular days off midweek. Last season, he missed three games due to injuries (the first time in his career), including in Week 17, but made it back for the regular season finale. Despite the injuries, he continues to perform at a high level, allowing just one sack and committing only one penalty. In PFF’s grades, he ranked 21st out of 141 tackles in the league last year.
“He’s been a steady presence here for a long time, and we’re counting on him to continue that,” Canales said. “I was really glad he came back and finished strong with us in Atlanta. I don’t see many veteran players pushing to get back on the field late in the season when their team’s out of the playoffs, but T-Mo wanted to be out there with his teammates and finish what he started.”
He continued, “He still plays really good football. He’s an excellent pass protector and does a great job on the front side of runs, moving defenders off the ball.”
The Panthers were able to establish a solid ground game throughout the season, even before Bryce Young’s second-half turnaround.
They finished 18th in the league in rushing last year, with Chuba Hubbard surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. This was a significant achievement, especially considering their last-ranked defense allowed a record number of points, forcing the team to play from behind for much of the season and not always in favorable situations for running the ball.
Adding Rico Dowdle (26) to the backfield alongside Hubbard provides the Panthers with the ability to maintain their strong rushing emphasis. Dave Canales expressed his excitement about having a pair of “war daddies” in the backfield to rely on.
With Hubbard (1,366 total yards, 1,195 rushing) and Dowdle (1,328 total yards, 1,079 rushing), the Panthers now have two players from last season’s top 20 in the league for yards from scrimmage, both coming off career-best seasons.
This dynamic duo helps create more space for the passing game to develop further.
In the receiving game, with Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Ja’Tavion Sanders, the Panthers were the only team in the league to have three players in the top 15 for rookie receiving yards (Legette 497, Coker 478, Sanders 342). While the team continues to be linked to speculation regarding more receiver additions and may still draft a receiver, Canales believes Legette has the potential to become “that guy” to lead the group.
“Let’s just take the next step with him,” Canales said. “Let’s see what Jalen can do. We know who Adam is, so I love the guys we have, and I’m excited about this year.
Of course, Bryce Young is at the center of this young offensive project. After returning to the starting lineup in Week 8, he became a noticeably different quarterback. He completed 197 of 319 passes (61.8 percent) for 2,104 yards, with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions (88.9 passer rating).
However, it was more about how he played than the individual stats. Young showcased a knack for performing in high-pressure situations, leading game-tying or game-winning drives in six of the final nine games of the season.
“I think Bryce excels in high-stakes situations,” said Dave Canales. “When you return to a season after it’s been underway for a while, and he feels that pressure, that’s when he performs his best—whether it’s at the end of halves or games. In those high-stakes moments, he thrives.”
Canales continued, “Everyone’s looking at him, wondering how he’s going to perform after coming back in, and that’s where he shines—leading and impacting the team. Watching him work and lead through that process was incredibly impressive. He never stopped leading, no matter what, and I learned a lot about his consistency and leadership.”
“When he returned, you could just see it in him—this was his team. He was ready to take charge and show everyone. I was like, ‘Yes, it is. Let’s go!’ It was an exciting moment.”
While Bryce Young‘s growth was notable, there was also significant development across the board for many of his teammates.
Dave Canales has frequently redirected questions about Young’s progress to focus on the overall improvement of the team, particularly in the second half of the season, rather than just individual performances. The growth was evident across the entire squad.
That’s why Canales feels confident heading into the draft with the same offensive core, especially in an offseason where improving the defense took precedence, as Dan Morgan and Brandt Tilis acknowledged last week.
“I believe team football can work with the group we have now,” Canales said. “We need to stay disciplined—Dan, Brandt, myself—when looking for players who add value both this year and in the future. It’s about building this team the right way, making smart moves that will benefit us long-term, and considering all these talented players we have.”
He continued, “But I love the guys we have, and I’m excited to see how they grow and take the next steps.”
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