Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales will play Bryce Young and starters in the 2024 preseason to avoid a slow start. Get details on this new team strategy.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Forget the bubble wrap and sideline sweaters. In a decisive shift from last season's approach, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced Friday that the team's starters, including quarterback Bryce Young, will see action in the first two preseason games. It's a clear message: the 2025 Panthers are leaving nothing to chance.
This city has a lot of hope. They want a winner, and you can feel it.
Coach Canales was direct about his reasoning, suggesting that holding starters out last year may have contributed to the team's sluggish start. 'I just can't pass up the opportunities. The reps in games are valuable,' Canales told reporters. For a young quarterback like Bryce Young and an offense still gelling under a new system, the decision to face live defenses from the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans is a calculated one. The goal is to forge chemistry and iron out kinks before the games count, ensuring the team is battle-tested for Week 1.
While the starters prepare for game action, the team's depth is already putting on a show. Veteran QB Andy Dalton and rookie receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. looked like seasoned partners on Friday, connecting for multiple scores. The highlight was a spectacular toe-tapping touchdown in the corner of the end zone during seven-on-sevens. Horn, a sixth-round pick, is quickly making a case for a significant role. He wasn't alone, as fellow receiver Brycen Tremayne also hauled in his third touchdown of the practice, showcasing the growing competition in the wide receiver room.
The intensity isn't just on offense. The defense is bringing a new level of physicality, punctuated by rookie OLB Princely Umanmielen stripping Bryce Young on the final play of practice. It's this kind of competitive fire that has the whole facility buzzing. 'This city has a lot of hope. They want a winner, and you can feel it,' said guard Robert Hunt, capturing the renewed optimism. With young talent like Umanmielen and WR Tetairoa McMillan impressing daily, there's a tangible belief that the Panthers are building something special.
With starters now slated to play, the upcoming preseason opener against the Browns at home just got a lot more interesting. It will be our first real look at Canales's new-look offense and a crucial test for Bryce Young. Will the live reps pay immediate dividends? Can camp standouts like Jimmy Horn Jr. and Princely Umanmielen make their mark in a game setting? The energy is high and the strategy is set. Now, it's time to see it all come together on the field.
