Dave Canales and Dan Morgan had a plan for the Carolina Panthers going into the draft, and a lot of it involved upgrading the roster without targeting clear holes. They seemed to want the best players at whatever position they happened to play, whether or not there was an incumbent (within reason).

But what does that mean for the team going forward? Canales is evolving in his role as head coach, giving up playcalling to be more involved in every phase of the team. His first real action as coach in that capacity was this draft. What did it tell us?

What Dave Canales' plan for the Panthers seems to be

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dave Canales appears to be gearing up to be a CEO-type coach, like Nick Sirianni or Mike Vrabel.…