The Carolina Panthers’ next important addition may not be wearing pads at all.
With rookies due to report to training camp in 13 days and veterans set to arrive on July 22, the focus in Charlotte is already starting to shift toward what comes next for Dave Canales’s team. The Panthers will also help open the 2026 preseason, facing the Arizona Cardinals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on August 6.
On Monday, The Athletic NFL Staff identified each team’s most intriguing newcomer for 2026, and for Carolina, longtime Panthers writer Joseph Person landed on a surprising name: offensive coordinator Brad Idzik.
Idzik is hardly unfamiliar around the building, but he is stepping into a new role after Canales handed him play-calling duties during the offseason. Person noted that the move came as a bit of a surprise, especially considering Canales’s reputation as a quarterback developer when he arrived in Charlotte.
“The offense doesn’t figure to look radically different under Idzik…” added Person, “But expect him to put his own stamp on things. Idzik has been with Canales at two previous stops and would prep Canales before his interviews for OC jobs. Just as importantly, Idzik has built a strong relationship with Bryce Young the past two years.”
That relationship will matter as Carolina tries to clean up an offense that has been inconsistent for stretches. The Panthers finished 29th in total yards per game in Canales’s first season in 2024, then ranked 27th in total offense this past season. They also managed only 33 offensive touchdowns in 17 regular-season games, and they were held to 17 points or fewer in 10 of those contests.
Young’s individual numbers moved in the right direction. He posted career bests in completion percentage at 63.6, passing yards at 3,011 and touchdown passes at 23.
But the first half of games remained a problem area. Ten of his 15 turnovers in 16 regular-season starts came in the first two quarters, and in Carolina’s 34-31 home playoff loss to the Rams, he threw an interception late in the first quarter.
For Idzik, the challenge now is bigger than simply keeping the offense on schedule. His play-calling background has mostly come in the preseason, so this is a clear step up. How he handles the run game will be worth watching, especially after Carolina finished 19th in rushing last season.
That ground attack told a split-story. Through the first nine games, the Panthers ran the ball 25 times or more in eight of them and averaged 139.8 rushing yards per game. Over their final nine games, including the playoffs, they hit that 25-carry mark only four times.
With Rico Dowdle gone, Chuba Hubbard is back in position as Carolina’s primary backfield weapon. Hubbard ran for a career-high 1,195 yards in 15 games in 2024.
So while the Panthers’ newest headline name isn’t a player, Idzik’s next move could shape plenty about how this offense looks in 2026.
In Other News...
Former Panthers Insider Just Sent A Strong Bryce Young Message
Bryce Youngs next chapter in Carolina is drawing plenty of attention, and one former Panthers voice thinks the setup around him is better than it has been in a while. Marty Hurney, who once ran the franchises front office, sounded upbeat in a recent interview about Young and the direction of the offense, pointing to Dave Canales confidence in the quarterbacks skill set and the improved roster around him.
For Young, the timing matters. He is entering his fourth season with real pressure to show he can be the long-term answer and put himself in position for a contract extension, and the Panthers are hoping the stability of Canales system helps bring out more consistency. Hurney also mentioned Jonathon Brooks as part of the broader optimism, another sign that Carolina sees more upside on offense than it has had in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Defense Still Has One Problem At Nearly Every Level
The Panthers made real progress on defense last season, climbing from the bottom of the league to the middle of the pack in total defense, but the unit still has a lot of sorting out to do before training camp. The front is the clearest example: Derrick Brown remains the anchor, yet Carolina may need meaningful help around him after A'Shawn Robinsons release and Tershawn Whartons neck injury left the group thinner than it looked a few months ago.
There are similar questions just about everywhere else. Jaelan Phillips gives the outside linebacker room a boost, but the depth behind him is still being evaluated, Trevin Wallace is under pressure to hold his spot at inside linebacker behind Devin Lloyd, and the slot cornerback job is open enough to keep the competition alive. Even at safety, there is still a sense that the Panthers are looking for the right fit, which is why this defense feels improved but not quite settled. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Need A Bigger Backfield Swing Than Fans Expected
As the Panthers look ahead to 2026, the running game remains one of the clearest areas where a roster upgrade could change the conversation. The idea gaining traction is not a minor depth move, either, but the kind of backfield swing that would signal Carolina wants more proven production and a more reliable weekly threat on offense.
The speculation centers on whether New Orleans would ever even entertain moving a veteran runner to a division rival, which already makes the whole discussion feel remote. Still, the fit is easy to understand from Carolinas side: the Panthers need answers in the backfield, and any pursuit of a trade would come with the larger question of whether the Saints would be willing to help a team they see twice a year. [Read more 🡒]