Canales' Analysis: Dinner with Diontae, Draft Chat + More

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales spoke with the media following Wednesday’s practice.

Over the past four years, we’ve pulled some of the most interesting quotes from each press conference of the head coach and threw it here in the space, calling it ‘Quick Hits.’

This year, we’re switching things up a little. It will still be the same format, but from now on, we’ll call it ‘Canales’ Analysis,’ for future reference.

Here are some of the notable quotes from today’s presser.

On if he knew Diontae Johnson didn’t know he was the head coach when they went to dinner

“I did not know, but we were having such a good time. Steak 48, I mean, some fantastic food. He’s probably looking at this guy, he’s young. I’m asking a lot of questions, talking a lot about how we’re going to use him in the offense. So he’s probably thinking this is the offensive coordinator. I think his agent could have helped him a little bit, maybe send him a snapshot or something on his phone, like by the way, this is Coach Canales. I did not know that until yesterday when he said it. Pretty funny in hindsight, but that’s not the only time that’s happened.”

The thing that has stood out most through two days

“I think that there’s just a really awesome core of veteran players that are here and young guys that have been around and I can feel their connectedness. I think when a group goes through hard things, I think it brings you closer. I’ve seen that in all different stretches of life.”

If being on the field the last two days has changed thoughts on team needs heading into the draft

“Not really, I wouldn’t think so. We have enough film over the past year or two - even some of the younger guys - we have enough film to lean on that for how to compare them. But it is a really good exercise to look at the draft, to look at those players, and to make a projection on the talent. Where would he fit in on our depth chart of the guys that we have currently?”

Fans giving suggestions for the draft

“Who did I get yesterday? I got Ladd McConkey from a guy at Flower Child. What else did I get? I got a Chop Robinson two days ago. I get Legette a lot. People are throwing names at me and I think it’s really fun. My response is always, ‘Yeah, what a great player…wouldn’t that be cool.”