CHARLOTTE — Dave Canales may have given up play-calling duties back in February, handing them over to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik ahead of OTAs and minicamp without the responsibility. But it was always going to feel different come training camp.

Even on the first day, when no one was wearing pads but the bullets were flying faster, and the team drills felt more intense, having the headset was going to be a completely new experience for Idzik and the players he was directing.

As each team drill progressed, though, quarterback Bryce Young settled into something that was both new and familiar at the same time.

"It's obviously different people, but it's the same process," explained Young back after that first practice. "They work hand in hand. They've always had a close relationship. Brad's always been in there with us in QB meetings, and he's always, obviously, been on and understood everything, so it's really similar. It's a seamless process."

Idzik has been the OC since arriving with Canales in 2024. He spent a lot of time with the receivers his first year, given his background with the position (he played it in college and was a receivers coach at Seattle and Tampa Bay).

Over the last couple of years, Idzik shifted a ton of his attention to quarterbacks, and then began taking over the offensive presentations as a whole in team meetings.

"He was doing a lot behind the scenes last year that the outside world probably didn't see, but us, as a building, we obviously felt," shared Young. "So, they're one and the same; they work together. There's obviously going to be a lot of communication there, so we're excited for the next steps."

Over the last week and a half, those steps have been laid out as Idzik and the offense work through situational drills, game scenarios, and three straight days of wins against the defense.

"Brad has always kind of run our team offense meetings, and so him jumping into the role of OC, it's been fun," shared tight end Tommy Tremble last week. "I think the offense has been blossoming. We've been comfortable with him because he's been a part of the offense for the last few years, but him taking that next step, it's been a lot of fun, him being OC calling the plays and all that.

"Our offense has been going off lately, so he's doing a great job."

Then, on Friday night at Fan Fest, a scrimmage. Fans got to see the play calling up close, as Young and backup quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Haynes King connected downfield with a deep receiving corps. The first touchdown drive, though, came on the heels of the running backs, something Canales, Idzik, and the Panthers have always promised would be the identity of this offense.

While Idzik was calling the plays, Canales was determining the circumstances in the scrimmage, and he purposely put his new play-caller in situations that would stretch those muscles.

"Trying to simulate some real drives, looking at the different situations. I tried to move the ball all over the field to just put his headspace in a different zone, a different area, and he handled that really well," explained Canales after Fan Fest.

Canales did more than just hand over play calling to Idzik this offseason. The Panthers also brought in longtime NFL offensive coach Darrell Bevell as associate head coach and offensive specialist. His first training camp with the Panthers was a manifestation of all he's been helping Young and crew with this offseason.

"Bev's been great, coming in; obviously being in a couple of different systems and places, it's always nice to get a fresh perspective, get to learn a little bit about what other places have done, what he's had success with," shared Young.

"And then also, he's just been a great sounding board for me. He's had a ton of experience in a lot of different places, been around a lot of quarterback play, seen a lot of ball, so I've just been trying to pick his brain as much as I can. I appreciate him for always allowing me to do that, always being open to conversation, so, yeah, we're really excited for his role."

All of this, of course, means for the first time in his career here, Canales is standing on a training camp practice field without the play caller duties. Knowing this was coming, the head coach gave himself a list of tasks and directives. At the top? Find guys you want to learn more about, guys you previously wouldn't have been able to watch as closely, and learn more.

"It was great just bouncing around," admitted Canales. "I got a group of guys that I certainly have my eye on. I won't share that, but I just come, trying to task myself with making sure that I can affect not just the coaching staff but a couple of players that I really want to challenge to take steps and take strides.

"And so, going into each practice with that mindset, I feel I can really sharpen my focus on a couple of guys and then be able to see the whole thing."

Who he focuses on will change daily, Canales shared, as will likely the purpose of studying them. But with play calling in Idzik's hands along with his complete trust in the OC, Canales is putting into practice the message he shared after first deciding in February: being a present coach for every guy on the roster.

"There's depth battles, there's starting position battles, all those things that are happening, and so I just want to make sure that I'm connected to those," said Canales. "Then of course following back up after we watch the film with the staff this evening to just kind of process where we see the progression of our players."

But it's an area of coaching that he can give his focus thanks to Idzik's grasp of what the Panthers want on offense.

"I love where we're at just from a rhythm standpoint," bragged Canales. "Right off the bat it's like, the tempo of which the calls are getting in and making sure they're getting in, in a timely fashion so we're organized. Brad's done a great job of that, especially tonight.

"He's doing a great job, organizing the group and making sure that we're pushing our concepts, adding wrinkles to things, keeping the guys interested, but also having a great feel for what our group is doing well so we can start to hone in the closer and closer we get to playing these games."