CHARLOTTE — The "mini-bye" that comes after a short-week game gives players a chance to rest, but for Dave Canales and the coaching staff, it was a work weekend.

After parting ways with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley Friday, Canales said he spent most of the weekend holed up with interim coordinator Todd Wash and the defensive staff creating a plan for the final 10 games of the regular season.

"We were in here talking, working through things, talking about our players; first and foremost, talking about our schemes, the things that will allow us to be at our best," Canales said. "So, we did that a lot, and then beyond that part of it too was a lot of time for me to just kind of think about the whole thing, and why now and the urgency that I feel with this group of talent, and trying to make sure we're doing the best thing for those guys.

"But, and it's certainly just a lot of thought about the personal relationships, and how things change when I make a move like this — how those dynamics change. And so for me it's loss, and it's a personal thing that I don't take lightly. And it affects more than just me; it affects other people on the staff, people that have known each other for a long time, but I do have an obligation to make sure that we're putting our players in the best possible situation for this team for this year, and that's what really led the decision."

Because players had Friday off after landing home from Green Bay around 3:30 a.m., this was also his first chance to talk to the group as a whole, along with meeting with his leadership council.

"It's been an appropriate reaction," Canales said. "These are two coaches, with E and with Cooley; these are guys that I really respect, that I really enjoyed working with, and that went for the players as well. So, an appropriate reaction, and there's some sadness, and it feels like a loss for me. Certainly, this was a heavy weekend. And at the same time, moving forward, we've got to lock in and be able to figure out what we're doing collectively, and the players are ready to do that too, and understanding that that game is coming. On Sunday, let's get locked in with the Denver Broncos. Let's talk about how we're going to play defense so we can move forward."​

Getting some guys back

Canales said they'd open the 21-day practice window this week for veteran offensive lineman Brady Christensen, who has been on injured reserve since the start of the season.

Between his experience (59 appearances and 34 starts) and his five-position flexibility (he's started at every position on the line), he could be a valuable component.

Christensen suffered a torn Achilles in midseason last year and was a bit rusty at the start of training camp, but he has a valuable skill set.

"He's healthy, he's strong, he's fit, he's ready to go," Canales said. "But we've got to get some football under his belt here, so that'll be a good addition to the group to evaluate where you can help us potentially."

Canales said that Xavier Legette and Jonathon Brooks were getting closer, but didn't commit to opening the windows for them yet.

He also said that both outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips and rookie cornerback Will Lee III were "trending in the right direction" in coming back from hamstring injuries, though neither was certain to be ready for this week.

Talking to the elders

Canales said he tries to check in quarterly with the leadership council anyway, but the staff changes gave him an opportunity to take the temperature of the team.

"The first thing I want to know is, what do they need from me as their head coach and the way that we're doing things schedule-wise, the way that we're communicating, and really checking in on our processes, because I need their support," Canales said. "I need their help to be able to, to echo the messaging for how we prepare, for how we practice, how we go through our week to arrive on Sunday where we're confident, and we're ready to go."

Canales said he talked to them in broad terms about the decision, and the expectations that follow.

"I've kind of told them this from the beginning, I'm going to ask you for more, and it's not necessarily to do more things, but it's to press further into the things that we're doing to master them, to master our processes, to master our fundamentals, all the communication, the line of communication and all those things that happen," he said. "So, it was a great opportunity to challenge the guys that way and then also just check in to get a feel for where they're at."

He said that in the past, he's taken suggestions about scheduling or other facets of the operation, but said those meetings also often transcend the normal coach-talks-at-player dynamic.

"They're very productive and very raw," he said. "And, at different times over the last two and a half years, sometimes they're a little more emotional, and sometimes they're more practical and just talking about specific things that we can adjust or that we can improve on. But they've meant a lot to me because I understand the importance of the influence that these guys have in the locker room, especially as we added young players and draft picks and guys that are continuing to develop and trying to find a way to be a pro, to have a real nice process about how they recover, how they prepare, and different things like that.

"And so they are the ones that can come around the other side of, where you have your coaching staff, and it's our job to help them with development, but then you have these veteran leaders who know how to do it, and they have a process, and so I asked them, guys, let them lend the things that you do well, so that they can incorporate that into their, into their everyday. So, they've been, you know, they've been really productive meetings."

Bringing back DeAngelo Hall

The Panthers hired longtime NFL cornerback DeAngelo Hall to coach his old position for the rest of the year, bringing him back to where he spent the 2023-24 seasons. It helps that he's local, of course.

"I'm just fortunate that D-Hall is in the neighborhood," Canales said. "He's in Charlotte here with his family, and we were able to have some really productive conversations on the eve of Cooley not being here, and he was excited about it, so we kind of went back and forth and next thing you know, we got a guy with a lot of playing experience, a guy that's excited about coaching, excited about making an impact on our group and, really, challenging these guys to continue to take the next steps for their development.

"So very fortunate to be able to get, you know, Dee Hall's energy, his experience, and all those things back in the building."

Still in first in the NFC South

Canales grinned when asked about the weekend results, as the 3-4 Panthers remain in first in the division after Tampa Bay beat the Falcons Sunday (without completing a pass, the first time that's happened since 1974.

"The approach is week to week, and it's like, how long can we make this a true statement?" Canales said. "We're in first place in the division with everything in front of us. This next game matters just as much as the rest of them. And so, having the mentality to find that consistency that we're looking for is what we're after, all across the board in all three phases.

"And so just the urgency of this moment, and with those decisions being made, really heightens it for all of us, as a staff, for our locker room, to make a decision to find that consistent good football that we're looking for, so we can win that first championship first, which is the division."