The Carolina Panthers concluded an underwhelming preseason with a third consecutive loss. But one positive emerged above all else.
It was a developmental night for Dave Canales, who had 33 inactive players alongside him on the sideline. The game was critical for the coach and general manager, Dan Morgan, with final cuts on the immediate horizon.
Canales was pumped with energy watching his guys fight until the final whistle. The Panthers’ coach was red in the face at times, maintaining a regular-season-like intensity as he called the offense for the first time in 2025.
His most important job of the night was to keep an eye on a critical position battle.