Where do Dave Canales & Dan Morgan rank compared to NFC South competition?

It’s been a solid offseason for the Carolina Panthers’ organization, and the efforts of their two key decision makers has certainly not gone unnoticed.

Feb 1, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers new general manager Dan Morgan and new head coach Dave Canales stand for a photo during the introductory press conference at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Late last week, the Yardbarker quartet of Bruce Ewing, Adam Gretz, Jack Dougherty, and Eric Smithling put together a thought-provoking piece ranking of each team’s head coach/general manager combination in the NFC.

When it came to the NFC South, it’s hard to argue the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ duo of sideline leader Todd Bowler and unsung Jason Licht. The former took over for Bruce Arians in 2022 and the team has won three straight division titles with him at the helm. Licht has done a superb job retaining the franchise’s best players, while striking gold in the draft. The Bucs own the longest-active playoff streak in the conference at five consecutive seasons.

At No. 2 in the NFC South is a team that hasn’t had a winning season or playoff appearance since 2017, and no playoff victory since 2015. Enter Carolina Panthers’ head coach Dave Canales and GM Dan Morgan.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with quarterback Bryce Young (9) in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“Canales has developed a reputation as a QB whisperer, coaxing career revivals out of Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield and, most recently, Carolina's Bryce Young, who languished during a tepid career start. Morgan, like Canales, is entering his second season with the Panthers, and invested $92.275M in guaranteed salary during free agency to fix the league’s worst defense; however, the production of wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette, the team’s past two first-round picks, looms large in his overall assessment.”

Canales’s decision to bench Young after two games proved to be a key move in the quarterback’s second-half resurgence. Morgan’s work during the 2025 offseason included investing free-agent money on defense, while addressing both sides of the ball equally during the draft with his eight selections. The Panthers won four of their final nine games this past season, and this team (with plenty of new faces) may be getting to move upwards after some very lean years.

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