Insider exhorts Panthers coach Dave Canales to be more aggressive calling plays

There's a whole lot for Carolina Panthers fans to be frustrated by this season. Defensively, the linebacker corps is easily the weakest in the league and yet the front office seems perfectly fine with that arrangement continuing through the rest of the regular season. They also can't stop the run or rush the passer for the third straight season, but that's a story for another day.

Offensively, there are plenty of problems to go around but the biggest one is the playcalling by head coach Dave Canales, which is so conservative it should make Bill Kristol blush. It's so bad that beat reporters are practically begging Canales to open things up and get more aggressive. Here's Joe Person at the Athletic making the case.

"As for Canales, he arrived in Charlotte with the reputation as a quarterback whisperer following his work with Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. But he only had one year of previous play-calling experience, and too often he looks like he’s afraid to take chances."

That fear of risk is filtering down to every part of Canales' playcalling. Gone are the explosive bombs to Adam Thielen that were so successful for Bryce Young last season - and there's been no effort for anybody else to take over that deep threat role as of yet. Also out the window is the idea that the Panthers should even try to convert on third and long.

Twice during Sunday's humiliating loss to the Panthers Canales decided to call draw plays on third and long to Rico Dowdle rather than letting Young try to move the chains.

While Young's performance this season has left much to be desired, if the head coach can't trust him to even try to throw the ball on third and 10+ then he has no business being on the field in the first place.

To be fair, general manager Dan Morgan didn't do Canales or Young any favors by trading Thielen away just before the season started - and Jalen Coker landing on injured reserve was a big blow they couldn't have done anything about.

Still, it's not like the Panthers are totally bereft of weapons. The decision to make Jimmy Horn Jr. a healthy scratch four games in a row is one of several unforgivable calls made by Canales, who's only playing Horn ths week because he won't have enough healthy receivers otherwise.

The time for using kid gloves on Young is long over - Canales either has to put the ball in his hands and ask him to really produce or give it to somebody else.

Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with quarterback Bryce Young (9) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI -

Carolina Panthers tumble in power rankings after reality check loss

Studs & duds for the Panthers’ humiliating Week 4 loss to the Patriots

Bryce Young’s opening drive numbers point to big Panthers problem

Panthers insider questions lineup decision from HC Dave Canales