In a disappointing Week 7 matchup, Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers fell to the Washington Commanders with a score of 40-7, marking their fourth consecutive loss since Week 3. Amidst the aftermath of this defeat, the head coach faced repeated questions during the postgame press conference regarding the future of quarterback Bryce Young and the possibility of a trade or play.
Canales was reluctant to engage in speculation about Young’s potential trade, emphasizing that the team’s current focus is on the upcoming game against the Denver Broncos. Five weeks ago, they weren’t considering trading Bryce Young. When pressed further on whether that position has changed, Canales responded: “Again, hypotheticals.”
“Right now, we’re focused on the Broncos,” Canales said firmly. “Andy’s playing this week, and that’s really where our focus is at. All those other conversations are hypothetical conversations that Dan and Brandt need to have. But right now, we’re focused on playing the Broncos and getting Andy to take another step in terms of getting us back to playing good football.”
When asked if the team has lost confidence in Young, Canales redirected the conversation back to Dalton’s role in the upcoming game. “This is about Andy Dalton. This is about playing the Broncos. This is about taking strides with our group,” he reiterated, emphasizing the need to concentrate on the task at hand.
Canales wants to play better
Canales did acknowledge that inquiries regarding Young’s future are “not unfounded,” but he reiterated that the team’s primary focus remains on improving performance and preparing for the Denver Broncos game in Week 8.
With the Panthers struggling to find their footing this season, the speculation surrounding Bryce Young’s future will likely continue until the team can demonstrate some positive results on the field. For now, Canales aims to shift the narrative back to the game at hand and find a way to get his team back on track.