The Panthers are entering just the second year of the Dan Morgan and Dave Canales era, and it already feels like there is pressure.
No one is saying they have to be world beaters, but there is a sense that results have to keep trending upwards. A non-playoff season doesn’t necessarily spell trouble for Canales and Morgan, but there are still reasons to believe that this Panthers’ season could heavily influence the franchise’s future.
Bryce Young Must Take a Step
Bryce Young has yet to prove with full confidence that he is the quarterback of the future in Carolina. He had a good run of games when he came back from his benching to end the season, but there is also a reason he got benched in the first place. This season is the season to prove himself, and the Panthers will hope that he does, as it would secure their quarterback of the future. A bad year, though, would lead to Young not having much of a career as a starter in the NFL and the Panthers having to rebuild again to find a franchise guy.
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Canales and Morgan’s Partnership
These two aren’t necessarily on the hot seat, but they just as well could be. If you want to see how short the lifespan of an NFL coach can be, just look at who got fired last year. Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo lasted one year on the job. Dennis Allen, Matt Eberflus, and Doug Pederson lasted three years on the job. Doug Pederson would be the best warning sign for Dave Canales, as Pederson even made the playoffs with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but couldn’t continue to develop quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
As for Morgan, you are often tied to who you hire as a head coach. It’s common for a full clear-out of a general manager and coaching staff if things go wrong. Morgan needs to assure he acquired the right defensive pieces in free agency and hit on his draft picks to help Young continue to develop. This season will likely determine whether he’s done his job correctly or not.
The Positives
Bryce Young could continue his development and show his end-of-season stretch wasn’t a fluke. This would mean the Panthers have secured their long-term answer at the most important position in football. Having a known commodity in that position makes building a team a lot easier and makes the team a consistent contender.
The second positive would be the Canales-Morgan-Young trio showing improvement together and that they’re all fully competent in their jobs. All successful franchises have stability and are competent in the front office, coaching, and the most important position on the field. No one is expecting them to be Brett Veach, Andy Reid, and Patrick Mahomes, but a sign of direction, intention, and stability is what this franchise has desperately needed for nearly a decade.
Creating a Successful Season for the Panthers
We’ve been discussing the positives and negatives, but what are the actual goals and achievements that need to happen to know what direction the franchise is headed in? For starters, Bryce Young should be aiming for over 3,500 passing yards and over 25 touchdowns. These numbers aren’t just pulled out of thin air; this would place him around 18th in passing yards last year and around 15th in quarterback total touchdowns last year. That sounds like low expectations, but average quarterback play for a full season would be significant progress for Young, as he was overall among the low end in stats for the entirety of last season. Plus, with a first-round receiver in Tetairoa McMillan and a lot of young weapons around him, there’s no reason not to expect a jump in numbers for Young.
As for the franchise as a whole, Dan Morgan needs his free agency signings to have an impact defensively and finish as a top-20 unit, which would be a substantial improvement. He also needs his draft picks to hit, as last year his first two picks in Xavier Legette and Jonathan Brooks are under scrutiny, with Legette having a tough rookie year and Brooks tearing his ACL for the second time.
As for Canales, he needs to lead this team to a minimum of seven wins and stay competitive. This isn’t a wild goal to set, but it’s a sign of progress from a five-win season, and competing for a playoff spot would be a sign of heading in the right direction. There isn’t an expectation of a playoff berth, but there’s an expectation to compete and give the franchise and its fans some faith.
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