Dave Canales knows exactly what he wants out of training camp, and for the Panthers head coach, it starts with two drills that sharpen both the mind and the body: the 2-minute drill and open-field tackling.
Speaking with FOX Sports, Canales said the 2-minute drill stands out because of how quickly it forces everyone into game mode.
"It's just the heightened arousal state. It's the shortest amount of time depending on the field position, the situation, making guys have to perform quickly, do something after the catch to respond," Canales said.
"The referees are involved. The coaches are also in a heightened awareness.
"I think it's one of the greatest things you can do in terms of just getting your team to play good football, making them have to think on the fly and make critical decisions and critical plays."
The drill is an 11-on-11 scrimmage that recreates the final 120 seconds of a half or a game, and that urgency is exactly the point.
Canales also singled out open-field tackling, a drill that keeps the focus on angles, pursuit and space. Even as a former offensive coordinator, he made it clear he values the defensive details too.
"It's open-field tackling - it doesn't even have to be in pads, but tracking the near hip. I think it's one of the most critical parts to having success," Canales said.
"... Just learning how to take a banana path to track the hip in different positions.
All of our players will face some type of a tackle or blocking people in space that makes you have to take a good angle and eliminate the field and create a one-way go for the opponent."
That drill puts one tackler and one runner inside a cone-marked area, with the runner trying to use every inch of space to avoid contact while the tackler works on pursuit angles.
Canales' comments come as the Panthers try to build on a season that ended with an NFC South title but still left plenty to prove. Carolina finished below .500 and needed help in Week 18 to win the division, a reminder that last year’s success came with questions attached.
The road ahead won’t be simple. Carolina’s 2026 schedule includes the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.
That makes the Panthers one of the more intriguing teams to watch in 2026, especially now that they’re no longer sneaking up on anybody after reaching the playoffs last season.
Bryce Young is another big reason the spotlight is getting brighter. Last season, he threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while adding 216 rushing yards and two rushing scores to help Carolina reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft now has 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Panthers uniform. He’s also set to make $12.1 million this season in the fourth year of his rookie contract, with a fifth-year option valued at a guaranteed $25.9 million.
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