Buccaneers To Interview Lions’ Tanner Engstrand For OC
While the Panthers conducted a narrow OC search that will end with Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik following Dave Canales to Charlotte, Tampa Bay is going through with a thorough process. This will now include a look at the Lions’ staff.
Detroit pass-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand is on Tampa Bay’s radar, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who notes the Bucs will interview the Dan Campbell staffer soon. Engstrand is also on the Patriots’ radar; he interviewed for the New England OC job last week.
This has marked Engstrand’s first offseason on the OC carousel. The Lions are surprisingly retaining Ben Johnson for a third year as their play-caller, but one of his top lieutenants could be headed elsewhere. That said, the Bucs have six names on their OC radar. Three of Tampa Bay’s other candidates — Ken Dorsey, Kellen Moore, Zac Robinson — landed coordinator jobs with other teams.
Campbell retained Engstrand, 41, from the Matt Patricia staff, though this was his first season as the team’s pass-game coordinator. The 2020 Detroit hire coached the team’s tight ends from 2020-22. Although the Commanders were favored to hire Johnson, the latter’s decision to again stay in Detroit has affected the HC carousel. Johnson’s call also closes off a potential OC path for Engstrand, who could have been a candidate to become Lions OC had Johnson left as expected.
Here is how the Bucs’ expansive OC search looks as of Tuesday afternoon:
- Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): To interview; hired as Browns OC
- Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): To interview
- Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/30
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/30
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Mentioned as candidate
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/29; hired as Eagles OC
- Jake Peetz, pass-game specialist (Rams): To interview
- Antwaan Randle El, wide receivers coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/26
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
- Alex Van Pelt, former offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/29
Panthers Hire Brad Idzik As OC
Dave Canales is in place as the new head coach of the Panthers, and his choice to fill the offensive coordinator role comes as no surprise. Carolina is set to hire Buccaneers receivers coach Brad Idzik as OC, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Canales and Idzik have a history with each other dating back to their Seattle days, and for that reason it was reported over the weekend that the latter was the likeliest candidate for Carolina’s OC post. Canales will likely take on play-calling duties with the Panthers after he did the same during his time with the Buccaneers in 2023, but Idzik will be a central figure on Carolina’s staff.
The Panthers were again all-in with respect to their pursuit of Lions OC Ben Johnson. While that did not materialize, it remained the expectation that an offensive candidate would be tapped as head coach. Canales will be tasked with overseeing quarterback Bryce Young‘s development after a poor rookie season. Idzik will assist in that regard as both staffers take on their respective new titles for the first time.
Idzik, 32, began his coaching career in 2019 with the Seahawks. During much of his time in Seattle, he worked with the team’s wide receivers, though he also had one year as an assistant QBs coach with the added title of offensive quality control coach. His first year with the Bucs came in 2023 as he followed Canales from Seattle to Tampa Bay, and their relationship will now continue in a new environment once again.
The fate of incumbent Panthers OC Thomas Brown has remained uncertain through the hiring cycle, but it had been expected that a new face would be added once the team’s next head coach was in place. Brown drew praise upon arrival on Frank Reich‘s staff, but he struggled in a play-calling capacity as the Panthers underwhelmed on offense both before and after Reich’s firing. Today’s news means Brown (who has been connected to multiple outside OC openings) will be free to pursue other options.
Carolina ranked at or near the bottom of several offensive categories in 2023, and improvement from Young, along with developments along the O-line and at the skill positions will be needed moving forward. Plenty of attention will be on Canales to deliver that, but Idzik will remain a key confidant along the way as his rise through the NFL coaching ranks continues.
Buccaneers QBs Coach Thad Lewis Receiving Interest For OC; Bills, Raiders First To Reach Out
TODAY, 8:40pm: Lewis has secured an interview, as the former QB met with the Titans today about their offensive coordinator vacancy, according to ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin.
SATURDAY, 3:35pm: The Buccaneers made the playoffs this year partially thanks to some improvements to a re-tooled offense with a new starting quarterback in Baker Mayfield getting coached up by a new offensive coordinator in Dave Canales and quarterbacks coach in Thad Lewis. The success seen in Tampa Bay will result in the team having to re-tool once more. With Canales departing to become head coach of the Panthers, Lewis will see opportunities for offensive coordinator jobs moving forward. 
The first of those opportunities will come in the form of an interview with the Bills, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Bills are looking to replace Ken Dorsey after firing the play-caller midseason this year. After firing Dorsey, the team went on to win six of their final seven games under the play-calls of quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, with their only loss coming in overtime to the Eagles. After failing to win the race for the Falcons’ head job, Brady will interview for the Bills’ full-time offensive coordinator gig, competing with Lewis.
Lewis has also had an interview requested by the Raiders to be the new coordinator under new head coach Antonio Pierce, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. If Lewis were to interview, he would join a field of five candidates that has been reduced from seven due to recent hires. There have also been rumors that Lewis could follow Canales to Carolina.
Lewis has risen quickly in NFL circles. After spending two years as an offensive analyst at UCLA, Lewis joined the Buccaneers as an intern in 2020. He was promoted to assistant wide receivers coach before earning his current position. After only four years in the NFL, Lewis is on the cusp of reaching one of the heights of offensive coaching.
Buccaneers To Interview Alex Van Pelt For OC Position
The Buccaneers’ search for a new offensive coordinator will include a meeting with a familiar face for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Alex Van Pelt is set to interview with Tampa Bay today, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
[RELATED: Raiders Conduct OC Interview With Van Pelt]
Van Pelt worked alongside Mayfield during their time together with the Browns. The former’s time after Deshaun Watson was acquired was not sufficient for him to remain in place, however, and he was fired after the Browns’ season came to an end. A return to the Buccaneers’ coaching staff could now be in play.
From 2010-11, Van Pelt served as Tampa Bay’s quarterbacks coach. That tenure came after his stint as OC of the Bills, and preceded his time with the Packers and Bengals before he took on his next coordinator opportunity with the Browns. During Van Pelt’s first season in Cleveland, Mayfield posted a career-high passer rating of 95.9 while helping guide the team to an 11-5 record. A strong run game played a major part in that success, but Mayfield’s performances took a turn for the worse after that season.
The former No. 1 pick bounced around to the Panthers and Rams after the end to his Browns tenure, but he impressed during his debut Buccaneers campaign. Mayfield may have played his way into a new deal with Tampa Bay, but an extended tenure with the team would not come with Dave Canales at the helm. The latter parlayed his one-year OC run into the head coaching job with the Panthers.
The Buccaneers put up middling numbers in several categories this season, but the team’s struggles on the ground continued. Tampa Bay finished last in the league in rushing, and the team’s new OC will be tasked with guiding a turnaround in that department. A reunion with Van Pelt (who did not call plays during his overlapping time alongside head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland) in Tampa Bay could help produce a better balance on offense while giving Mayfield a familiar face on the sidelines.
Here is an updated look at the Buccaneers’ ongoing search:
- Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): To interview
- Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interview requested
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Mentioned as candidate
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/29; hired as Eagles OC
- Jake Peetz, pass-game specialist (Rams): To interview
- Antwaan Randle El, wide receivers coach (Lions): Interview requested
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
- Alex Van Pelt, former offensive coordinator (Browns): To interview 1/29
Panthers Likely To Hire Buccaneers’ Brad Idzik As OC
The Panthers are almost definitely searching for a non-play-calling offensive coordinator, with new HC hire Dave Canales on track to call plays. It does not look like Carolina is preparing an expansive search to fill this position.
As of now, two OC candidates are in the mix for the Carolina job. The team put in a request to meet with Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik, according to SI’s JC Allen. While the team has also requested a meeting with Eagles assistant Marcus Brady, Canales is expected to go with familiarity.
Idzik has emerged as the likely hire, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. The son of former Jets GM John Idzik, Brad just finished his first season as the Bucs’ wideouts coach. Brad Idzik has worked with Canales for much longer, however. He was in place as the Seahawks’ assistant wide receivers coach from 2019-20 and again in 2022. Prior to that stay, Idzik spent five years as a Stanford graduate assistant.
The Panthers cannot hire Idzik until they meet with Brady. The Rooney Rule requires teams to meet with at least one external minority candidate for coordinator positions. We have seen a few teams conduct quick OC searches during this period, however. The Falcons only met with two candidates, hiring Zac Robinson from the Rams. The Bengals and Bills also met with just two, hiring from within.
Mike Evans extended his record-setting streak of consecutive seasons to start a career to 10, but the 6-foot-5 standout was more productive with Baker Mayfield than he was with Tom Brady. Evans’ 1,255 yards were his most since 2018, and the 10th-year receiver’s 13 TD receptions led the NFL. Chris Godwin also produced a third straight 1,00-yard season.
Carolina went with experience during the 2023 cycle, bringing in Frank Reich — a five-year play-caller — to run the show. Canales has called plays for one season, while Idzik only moved up from the assistant WRs level in 2023. That said, Canales was on Pete Carroll‘s Seahawks staff for 13 years. Should this OC hire come to pass, the Panthers will bet big on this newly formed Canales tree.
Buccaneers To Interview Jake Peetz For OC
With Dave Canales taking a quick route to a head coaching job, the Buccaneers need to find a new play-caller. Yet again, a Sean McVay staffer is in the mix for a promotion.
The Bucs are planning to sit down with Jake Peetz this week, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. After a 2021 stint at LSU, Peetz has been back in the NFL — as a Rams pass-game specialist — for the past two seasons.
Peetz could have multiple promotion opportunities this offseason. The Rams have lost quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, one of this cycle’s most popular coordinator candidates, to the Falcons. But a coordinator gig represents a higher rung on the coaching ladder. This Tampa Bay opportunity marks the first Peetz interview request during this year’s hiring period.
Peetz, 39, worked under McVay for a season in Washington (2014) and was on each of Jack Del Rio‘s three Raiders staffs over the next three years. After a season at Alabama, Peetz resurfaced as the Panthers’ running backs coach under Ron Rivera. Matt Rhule kept Peetz on and moved him to QBs coach in 2020, Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater year, but saw him become LSU’s offensive coordinator in 2021. The SEC school ranked 80th in scoring offense under Peetz in 2021; the team fired Ed Orgeron that year, and Peetz made his way back to the NFL soon after.
The Rams have Mike LaFleur in place as McVay’s top offensive assistant, and no HC or OC requests have come in for the ex-Jets play-caller. With Robinson gone and Peetz on the coordinator radar, LaFleur’s status looms as critical for a team that will once again need to replace a coordinator — after Raheem Morris became the new Falcons HC.
Courtesy of PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker, here is how the Bucs’ OC search looks so far:
- Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): To interview
- Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interview requested
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Mentioned as candidate
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/29; hired as Eagles OC
- Jake Peetz, pass-game specialist (Rams): To interview
- Antwaan Randle El, wide receivers coach (Lions): Interview requested
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
Bucs Interested In Jerrod Johnson, Antwaan Randle El For OC
We can add two more names to the Buccaneers’ list of candidates to replace offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who parlayed a strong showing in his one year as Tampa Bay’s OC into a head coaching gig with the division-rival Panthers. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Bucs either have interviewed, or have requested an interview with, Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, and they have requested an interview with Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El.
Johnson, 35, is a popular name in this year’s hiring cycle and has already interviewed with the Browns, Saints, Eagles, and Steelers for their vacant OC positions (Philadelphia went in a different direction, however, as they hired Kellen Moore yesterday). An offensive quality control coach for the Colts from 2020-21, Johnson joined the Vikings as assistant quarterbacks coach in 2022 and took his current position with Houston when DeMeco Ryans was named the Texans’ HC last year.
Of course, Johnson’s work with C.J. Stroud is driving the interest from rival clubs. As a rookie, Stroud led the league in passing yards per game and interception rate while finishing sixth in quarterback rating. That production, along with Stroud’s excellent performance in a wild-card round victory over the Browns earlier this month, raised Johnson’s stock considerably. He took a second interview with New Orleans yesterday, so if Tampa Bay wants him, it may need to act quickly.
Meanwhile, it appears that this is the first time we are hearing Randle El’s name in connection with an OC post. The former college quarterback entered the NFL as a wide receiver and served as an auxiliary target and return man for Pittsburgh and Washington over his nine-year playing career (he earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Steelers in 2005 and caught 12 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown during the team’s four-game run in that postseason).
Now 44, Randle El began his coaching career with the Bucs as an offensive assistant in 2019 and accepted his current post with the Lions in 2021. While Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has understandably drawn rave reviews for his work in the Motor City — which is likely to earn him an HC job of his own in the very near future — Randle El has coaxed strong production out of the Lions’ complementary wideouts and has overseen the evolution of 2021 fourth-rounder Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2022 and firmly established himself as one of the league’s top receivers in 2023, piling up 119 receptions for 1,515 yards and 10 TDs en route to a First Team All-Pro selection.
The Bucs will have to wait to interview Randle El until the Lions’ season is over. Detroit takes on the 49ers in today’s NFC Championship game, and assuming Ben Johnson lands one of the remaining HC posts — the Seahawks and Commanders are now the only two clubs with vacancies — Randle El would be an obvious candidate to fill his shoes with the Lions.
Coaching Notes: Eagles, Canales, Bucs, Falcons, Fins, Fangio, Colts, Raiders, Jags
Mike Caldwell will not land the Eagles‘ DC position. Vic Fangio becoming available is expected to give the Eagles the candidate they wanted last year. Recently fired from his Jaguars DC post, Caldwell will still have a chance to end up in Philly. The Eagles are interviewing him for their linebackers coach position, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Caldwell has a history with the Eagles as a player and coach. The longest stretch of Caldwell’s 11-year playing career came in Philly, transpiring from 1998-2001. Caldwell, 52, worked as a part-time starter for Ray Rhodes and Andy Reid‘s teams and joined Reid’s staff in 2008. On Reid’s final five Eagles staffs, Caldwell collected a Super Bowl ring as linebackers coach for the 2020 Buccaneers. The Raiders, however, have also shown interest.
With the coaching carousel spinning wildly, here is the latest:
- The Falcons are the third team wanting to speak with Aden Durde about a DC post, joining the Packers and Rams. Raheem Morris wants to meet with the Cowboys’ defensive line coach, ESPN’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde, 44, has become quite popular. These are believed to be his first slips about a DC interview. Durde and Morris coached together in Atlanta from 2018-20; the former moved up from the quality control level — to outside linebackers coach — during Morris’ season as the Falcons’ interim HC. He has been in Dallas since.
- Shifting back to Fangio, it seems there is little love lost between the veteran staffer and some Dolphins defenders he coached this season, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Rosenahus mentions some Dolphins stood in Fangio’s corner but many did not. Fangio has been known to ruffle feathers but has been one of the most in-demand defensive coaches during the 21st century. The Dolphins had given him a deal worth more than $4.5MM per year. While his exit is being framed as the team letting the 65-year-old assistant return to his home state, unpopularity among players likely made that an easier decision.
- The Buccaneers will not receive two third-round picks as a result of Dave Canales receiving a head coaching job, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes. Although Canales is Latino, the Bucs will not pick up the Rooney Rule-driven draft haul due to the the coach’s one-year tenure, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Canales is believed to have needed to be with the Bucs for at least two years to receive the third-round selections from the NFL.
- Matt House is returning to the NFL. The Jaguars are hiring the LSU defensive coordinator to be their linebackers coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. House, the Chiefs’ LBs coach from 2019-21, spent the past two seasons in Baton Rouge. He has served as a DC at four programs, including Kentucky. House will join Kris Richard and Cory Robinson as Ryan Nielsen Jacksonville hires thus far.
- Spending the past three seasons as a Jets assistant, Ricky Manning Jr. will join the Raiders. The Silver and Black are hiring Manning as their new defensive backs coach. The former NFL DB spent time on the Raiders’ practice squad in 2009; his most notable coaching title has been assistant DBs coach in Seattle under Richard from 2016-17.
- The Colts are not retaining two of their defensive staffers. They are letting the contracts of defensive line coach Nate Ollie and assistant DBs coach Mike Mitchell expire, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, who adds neither staffer is expected back. Ollie, 32, joined Gus Bradley’s staff in 2022 despite having no history with the veteran coordinator. His firing comes after the Colts saw notable development from defensive ends Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. The two 2021 draftees combined for 16.5 sacks this season, and the Colts had four players with at least eight. This marked Mitchell’s first coaching gig; he had finished his 10-year career as a safety with the Colts.
Buccaneers Arranging OC Interviews With Kellen Moore, Zac Robinson, Ken Dorsey, Brian Johnson
Tampa Bay experienced a batter-than-expected season on offense with first-year coordinator Dave Canales in charge of the unit. He has departed to become head coach of the Panthers, however, leaving the Buccaneers in need of a new OC for the second straight year. 
A list of targets has begun to emerge. Tampa will speak with Chargers OC Kellen Moore on Monday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. Colleague Ian Rapoport adds that Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson has received a Bucs interview request. The team also plans to speak with ex-Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who notes his Tampa interview will take place next week. Lastly, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports ousted Eagles OC Brian Johnson has a Buccaneers interview lined up.
Moore’s future with the Chargers has not yet been determined, but with Jim Harbaugh now in place, he is likely to bring his own assistants aboard. That could lead to a number of opportunities for Moore, who joined L.A.’s staff last offseason after a successful run with the Cowboys. The 34-year-old has also been connected to the Browns and Eagles during this year’s hiring cycle, so he could have a few options to choose from in the event he does wind up in a new home for the second offseason in a row.
Robinson has been one of the hottest coordinator candidates in 2024. He has interviewed three times so far, and he has received a request from an additional three teams including today’s slip from Tampa Bay. Robinson, 37, has been with the Rams since 2019, spending much of his time working with the team’s quarterbacks. For each of the past two seasons, he has held the additional title of passing game coordinator. Staffers often make the jump from that combination of roles to a coordinator gig, and Robinson doing the same would leave a signficant vacancy for Sean McVay to fill.
Dorsey saw his run with the Bills come to an end midway through the 2023 season. Buffalo’s offense went in a different direction under interim OC Joe Brady, whose success down the stretch has him in consideration for the full-time position. Still, Dorsey is on the radar for a new coordinator opportunity right away, having interviewed with the Browns. The 42-year-old’s Buffalo stint was his only NFL coordinator position to date, but he has extensive experience as a QBs coach.
Johnson was promoted to OC of the Eagles last year, and his familiarity with Jalen Hurts and the team’s offense led to signficant expectations despite Shane Steichen‘s departure. Earlier in the year, Philadelphia performed well in a number of areas, and the team put up solid overall numbers in several offensive categories. As was the case on defense, however, things took a turn for the worse late in the year through the wild-card round of the postseason. Johnson was dismissed as part of the Eagles’ staff overhaul, but he took head coaching interviews before that, and he is also on the OC radar.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield enjoyed a productive campaign under Canales, and keeping the former in place will be a key offseason priority for Tampa Bay. One of the most important factors in replicating Mayfield’s success will of course be the latter’s replacement, and the Bucs could have competition for some of the most in-demand candidates. Their search will start to take shape in the coming days.
Panthers Hire Dave Canales As HC
Dave Canales‘ one-year run in Tampa Bay has earned him another offseason move, this time to lead a coaching staff. The Panthers are nearing a deal to hire the Buccaneers OC as their new head coach, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The deal is now official. The Panthers announced they’ve agreed to terms with their division rival’s offensive coordinator. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Canales will be on a six-year deal, dedicating a lot of money to the contract of their newest head coach. It’s a long-term commitment that has the potential to pay off for both parties if Canales thrives in his first head coaching role.
A report from earlier this week noted that Canales drew rave reviews from the Panthers’ front office during his first interview. A follow-up meeting was in place, and it has obviously gone well. Carolina was long connected to pursuing a coach with an offensive background, and the team has indeed followed through in that regard. 
Still, the move comes as a surprise given Canales’ lack of experience relative to a number of other candidates. The 42-year-old’s time with the Buccaneers in 2023 marked his first time as a coordinator at the NFL level. He came to Tampa Bay after a lengthy tenure in Seattle, during which he overlapped with Dan Morgan. The latter was promoted to general manager earlier this week.
Canales wore a number of hats with the Seahawks, working with the team from 2010-22. He worked with the team’s quarterbacks for much of his time in the Emerald City, and his ability to turn Geno Smith into a Comeback Player of the Year with a career-best performance in 2022 upped his stock considerably. Taking on the Tampa OC posting, he set himself up for another reclamation project of sorts with Baker Mayfield.
The former No. 1 pick outperformed expectations under Canales’ guidance, throwing a career-high 28 touchdown passes and posting a 94.6 passer rating, the second-highest mark of his career. Mayfield is therefore a candidate for a long-term Bucs agreement. If that materializes, however, Canales will not be in place to continue working with him, instead turning his attention to a division rival.
Carolina was interested in Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson during last year’s hiring cycle, and that remained the case in 2024. Johnson – who has received considerable interest from a number of other teams – was reported to be the Panthers’ top target. Johnson’s future remains uncertain as Detroit prepares for the NFC title game this weekend, but another potential landing spot for him has now been eliminated.
Of course, a central reason in the Panthers’ continued pursuit of Johnson was his work with Lions QB Jared Goff. Developing 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young will be the top priority for Canales after he endured a disappointing rookie campaign. Young’s struggles were not entirely of his own doing, but signficant strides will be required to justify Carolina’s acquisition of the No. 1 slot last spring. Major changes along the O-line and in the skill-position room should also be expected, and those can now happen with a new GM and head coach in place.
In the wake of Canales drawing serious interest from the Panthers, it was learned that Buccaneers QBs coach Thad Lewis was a prime candidate to take over as Tampa Bay’s OC. With the former having agreed to Carolina’s HC gig, it will be interesting to see if the latter does get tapped for the promotion. If not, the reigning NFC South winners will need to join the competition for outside additions at the coordinator spots.
Frank Reich entered last season with signficant expectations given his track record and the staff he assembled. Only 11 games into the campaign, however, Reich was let go, a sign of the reputation for impatience that owner David Tepper has generated in recent years in particular. Tepper’s personal involvement in a number of key personnel and roster decisions has also led many to assume top HC candidates would steer clear of Carolina. The team has nonetheless managed to find its next coach earlier than a number of others.
Once the Canales deal becomes official, the 2024 cycle will have seen five hires made. The Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders still have vacancies on their staffs, and their searches will now continue with one fewer candidate on the market.