NFL Rumors: Bucs' Brad Idzik to Be Hired as Panthers OC; Dave Canales to Call Plays

New Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is bringing a member of the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' staff with him.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Bucs wide receivers coach Brad Idzik is expected to be named Carolina's offensive coordinator.

Fowler (via David Newton of ESPN) also reported that Canales, not Idzik, will handle play-calling duties.

The Panthers announced Canales' hiring as head coach on Jan. 25. He got the job after spending just one season as an offensive coordinator for the Bucs, though he's been an NFL coach since 2010 when he was hired by the Seattle Seahawks.

Tampa's offense had a solid showing in 2023 under Canales. Baker Mayfield, in particular, had arguably the worst season of his career. He set career-highs with 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and a 64.3 completion percentage.

Idzik has worked with Canales since 2019 when they were on Pete Carroll's staff in Seattle. The 32-year-old was an assistant receivers coach for the Seahawks before joining the Bucs this season.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times noted Idzik had a role in helping Mike Evans rebound after a down year in 2022 and helped in the development of Trey Palmer when Russell Gage suffered a torn patellar tendon during training camp that ended his season.

Evans tied for the NFL lead with 13 receiving touchdowns and had his highest yards per reception average (15.6) since 2019. He also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the 10th consecutive year.

The Panthers need Canales and Idzik to work their magic again in 2024. Bryce Young had a disappointing rookie season with 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He didn't have much talent around him to help pull him out of the morass.

There's a lot of work for the new coaching staff to do, and their job is made even more difficult by virtue of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft owed to the Chicago Bears, but Canales and Idzik have strong track records in their previous roles to offer some optimism going into the future.