Fans sound off on Dave Canales leaving Buccaneers for Panthers HC role - “Feel bad for Baker Mayfield”

Dave Canales is leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and many fans are sad at the news.

On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers announced that they had hired the one-and-done offensive coordinator as their new head coach. He had been lauded for reviving the career of former No.1 pick Baker Mayfield, who had appeared to be on his way to becoming a draft bust after his exodus from the Cleveland Browns.

With the two onboard, the Buccaneers surprised everyone by winning the NFC South for the third straight time, then making it all the way to the Divisional Round, where they ultimately came up short in a 31-23 loss at the Detroit Lions. But as Canales prepares for a new chapter in his coaching career, fans cannot help but feel sad:

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Can Dave Canales return Bryce Young, Panthers to credibility?

There is one underlying reason why the Carolina Panthers went with Dave Canales as their new head coach: to elevate Bryce Young.

When the 2023 season loomed, the team was expected to be rebuilding as they sought to forge a new identity around their new starting quarterback, but to say things went badly is an understatement. He struggled behind a horrid offensive line, and whatever weapons he had at his disposal failed to make a significant impact.

The result was a league-worst 2-15 record, and it also does not help that the Chicago Bears hold their No. 1 pick, leaving the Panthers with limited options to restock their roster.

However, this is where Canales' uncanny ability to elevate quarterbacks surfaces. With him, Russell Wilson developed into an elite player with the Seattle Seahawks, but massively regressed after leaving for the Denver Broncos in 2022 to the point where he is expected to be released sometime in the offseason. Geno Smith, meanwhile, experienced a resurgence; and the same can be said for Baker Mayfield in Southwest Florida.

It is no secret that owner David Tepper saw and liked what the young yet experienced erstwhile assistant was able to do with the three veterans under his watch. Now, he and also-new-for-2024 General Manager Dan Morgan are hoping he can do the same with Young.