Dave Canales Shakes Things Up for Panthers’ Final Preseason Game — Big Moves Coming Before Week One

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is wasting no time putting his stamp on the team. As the final preseason game approaches, Canales is making a major change that has players, analysts, and fans leaning in. He’s not treating this game as just another dress rehearsal—he’s using it as a proving ground, a tone-setter, and a statement of how things will run under his leadership. And make no mistake, the message is clear: nothing is set in stone, and every rep counts.

Instead of rolling out a safe, vanilla game plan or giving the starters only a few snaps like many teams do in the final preseason matchup, Canales is changing course. He’s pushing for a more aggressive approach. Reports out of training camp suggest that more starters will see action than initially expected, especially on the offensive side of the ball. This decision bucks the trend across the league, where the final preseason game is typically used to rest key players and give bubble guys a last shot to make the roster. Canales is flipping that script. He wants execution. He wants tempo. He wants identity. And he wants it now.

This move signals a coach who doesn’t believe in easing into a season. Dave Canales is bringing an edge, the kind of attitude Carolina fans have been desperate for. The Panthers have hovered in that frustrating space between potential and disappointment for too long, and Canales knows it. He’s not here for moral victories or development timelines that stretch into next year. He’s here to get this team rolling, starting now, and that means using every snap, even in the preseason, to get sharp.

One of the key areas this change affects is the quarterback position. All eyes are on Bryce Young, who is still growing into his role as a franchise QB. Young has looked more confident in recent practices, and Canales wants to keep building that momentum. That means more game reps, more tempo, and more opportunity to find rhythm with his receivers. It also means facing pressure, taking hits, making adjustments—all the things he’ll need to be ready for once the regular season kicks off. There’s risk, sure, but Canales appears willing to take it in exchange for growth. It’s a gamble, but it’s a calculated one. This isn’t recklessness; it’s urgency.

The offensive line, another unit that’s still trying to gel, will benefit from this approach. Continuity is crucial up front, and putting the projected starters out there again will help build chemistry. The Panthers struggled in protection at times last season, and that’s an area Canales knows he can’t afford to ignore. Getting that group live reps together, even in a preseason setting, could pay dividends when Week One arrives.

Defensively, the Panthers are likely to keep a more traditional approach with rotational players and depth guys fighting for roster spots, but that doesn’t mean Canales is easing off the gas entirely. He’s been vocal about competition being the lifeblood of the team. That competition doesn’t stop until the final whistle blows on the preseason. Players on the bubble will get their shot, but they’ll be doing it under the watch of a coaching staff that’s actively evaluating how each piece fits into the bigger puzzle. If you want to make this roster, you’d better show you can play Canales-style football—fast, physical, and disciplined.

This shift in approach also speaks to a deeper philosophical change happening in Carolina. The Panthers are no longer trying to just survive and keep games close. They’re trying to dictate. That starts with preparation, and Canales isn’t going to let the preseason slip by without using every second to sharpen this team’s edge. He wants urgency in the huddle, precision at the line, and trust between players that only comes from shared reps in real-game situations.

Some fans are a bit anxious about playing starters this close to the regular season. The fear of injuries always looms large. But Canales appears to be balancing that concern with the reality that this team needs to build confidence, timing, and a sense of identity. He’s betting that a strong finish to the preseason can be a springboard into the regular season, where the margin for error shrinks and the pressure ratchets up.

It’s also a vote of confidence in the strength and conditioning program and in the players’ ability to handle the workload. These guys are professionals, and Canales clearly believes they can handle a more intense ramp-up. It’s a mindset shift—a culture reset. And it’s coming from the top down.

The final preseason game now becomes a must-watch, not just for the depth chart battles but for what it tells us about where this team is headed. Will the offense click under pressure? Will Bryce Young show command? Will the offensive line protect? Will the defense flash that same aggression we’ve seen in camp? All of those questions will get a better answer with this approach than with a vanilla third preseason game that barely resembles regular season football.

Behind the scenes, this decision is also about accountability. Canales is putting his philosophy out there for everyone to see. He’s saying, in effect, “This is who we are going to be.” That takes guts. It also builds trust within the locker room. Players want to know that their coach believes in them and is willing to go to battle with them. Playing your key guys in the final preseason game might be unconventional, but it sends a message: we’re not holding back. We’re going all in.

For the younger players and those fighting for a spot, this also raises the level of competition. When you’re going up against starters instead of backups, the margin for error shrinks and the intensity rises. Canales is giving them a chance to prove themselves under real pressure, and that’s the kind of environment that forges future contributors.

So while other teams are quietly coasting toward Week One, the Panthers are charging toward it with purpose. The final preseason game isn’t an afterthought—it’s part of the plan. Dave Canales is using it as a platform to build momentum, forge identity, and make sure his team walks into the regular season with its chin up and its cleats dug in.

It’s a bold move, but then again, Canales didn’t come to Carolina to play it safe. He came to turn the page, to re-energize a franchise that’s been searching for direction. And if this final preseason game is any indication, he’s doing just that—one aggressive decision at a time. Panthers fans might be in for a rollercoaster, but one thing’s for sure: under Dave Canales, this team is done waiting around. They’re suiting up, stepping in, and getting after it.