Since taking over as Carolina Panthers head coach in 2024, Dave Canales has been responsible for calling offensive plays, continuing a role he held previously as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. However, during a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Canales revealed that starting in the 2026 NFL season, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will assume the play-calling responsibilities.
This change aims to enhance the Panthers’ offensive performance by leveraging Idzik’s deep familiarity with the team’s system and players, especially quarterback Bryce Young. Canales emphasized that this adjustment came after collective discussions within the organization and arose from his desire to advance the team’s offensive strategy.
Coach Canales Explains Rationale Behind the Change
Canales described the decision as a strategic move designed to give the offense its best chance to grow.
“This is something that all of us collectively have talked about as an organization,”
he said.
“It was my idea to come up with this, and just kind of looking back and reflecting on it, you know, thinking about how we’ve grown this offense and really wanting to be able to advance our football on the offensive side primarily by letting Brad, who’s completely engulfed and entrenched in what we’re doing offensively speaking, his continuity with the system, his continuity with our players, being able to do that, I believe will be the best thing for us going forward.”
He added that shifting play-calling duties would streamline game-week preparations and put the play caller in a position to fully realize the offensive vision.
“This allows me to be in a better position to affect our team. And this also allows Brad to affect the offense in a positive way. He’s my primary architect for what we do offensively with the run game, the pass game and the connection of it, and I saw this as an opportunity to streamline the work that goes in during the week and then to have that come alive on game day for the play caller who has a vision for what we’re doing. And while this is a shared vision and a shared philosophy for how we play football, stylistically speaking, we’re not changing any of the words, we’re not changing our approach. But I want all of our processes to improve, and I believe this is an opportunity to do that.”
Importance of Brad Idzik’s Role in Supporting Bryce Young
Brad Idzik is set to direct the offense for Bryce Young, the Panthers’ quarterback who is preparing for his fourth NFL season after being drafted first overall from Alabama in 2023. Canales noted that Idzik’s close working relationship with Young played a significant part in this decision.
The head coach shared that he consulted Young about the shift, making sure the quarterback was involved in the process. “Had a conversation with Bryce,” Canales said.
“Bryce is aware of what’s happening, and I wanted to make sure that he was a part of this process to see the vision of what I hope will come.”
Idzik will oversee calls based on a large and complex playbook, with the Panthers currently utilizing only about 30 to 40 percent of their offensive options. Canales explained how player feedback, especially from Young, drives which plays are emphasized.
“We have a giant playbook. We probably use somewhere between 30 and 40 percent of what we can actually do. But it’s because our players showed us what we can do and showed us what we need to improve upon and see if there’s something we can dust off to add value, to add a wrinkle to. But it all starts with the players, especially with Bryce. And what is Bryce confident in? What can he do well? What does he see? And you can see it by his demeanor, by his back foot and how quickly that ball comes out.”
Bryce Young’s Growing Command of the Panthers’ Offense
Over the last two seasons, Canales has witnessed Young’s development as he increasingly embraces the offensive system and its concepts. The coach highlighted the importance of ongoing dialogue between them to refine the team’s identity.
“The feedback is really where it’s starting to become powerful,”
Canales remarked.
“Having conversations with him, we go through our game-plan days, our checkpoints. He and I talking on the phone, making sure we have the things that get him excited and that he feels confident in executing, and really the more vocal he gets with what he likes, what he doesn’t like, the closer and closer we get to a real identity of what we’re doing. And while those things kind of change with the personnel, with the players that we have, that’s the mastery that we’re after. And the more he involves himself in what we’re doing there, the more powerful it gets for us.”
Potential Influence on Panthers’ Future Offensive Strategy
This shift in play-calling responsibilities signals a strategic attempt to capitalize on Bryce Young’s evolving leadership within the offense and Brad Idzik’s expertise with the system. By dividing duties in this way, Canales hopes not only to optimize in-game decisions but also to enhance preparation and execution throughout the week.
Looking ahead, the Panthers aim to refine their offensive approach with input from key players like Young, possibly adding new wrinkles from their extensive playbook. This adjustment may provide the team a clearer identity and stronger cohesion as they seek to improve performance in the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
