The Panthers claimed former Bucs cornerback Keenan Isaac off waivers on Wednesday, however Carolina head coach Dave Canales didn’t cease there when raiding his former workforce.
Canales, who was Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator final yr, added one other former Bucs participant to the Panthers on Friday. Carolina signed veteran quarterback John Wolford to the follow squad.
The Athletic’s Joe Individual had the information about Wolford, who was Tampa Bay’s No. 3 quarterback final yr, on X.
Panthers are signing former Wake Forest and Rams QB John Wolford to the follow squad, per league supply.The 28-year-old Wolford was with Dave Canales final yr in Tampa Bay. Panthers doubtless will preserve two QBs on p. squad, with Jack Plummer because the developmental man.
— Joe Individual (@josephperson) August 30, 2024
The Panthers have Bryce Younger, final yr’s first general decide, as their beginning quarterback adopted by veteran Andy Dalton. Wolford joins one other quarterback, Jack Plummer, on the follow squad, and can doubtless function the No. 3 QB in Carolina this yr.
Former Bucs QB John Wolford Joins The Panthers
Panthers head coach Dave Canales – Picture by: USA Right now
Panthers head coach Dave Canales was a giant fan of John Wolford, who spent three seasons with the Rams in a similar-based offense to what Canales imported from Seattle to Tampa Bay. On a preseason look on the Pewter Report Podcast final summer time, Canales spoke very extremely of Wolford.
“John’s incredible,” Canales mentioned final July. “He’s for certain – fingers down – the neatest man within the room. It’s not even shut. He’s humorous. He’s fixed … I simply love being round him. I heard nice issues about him by [Seahawks offensive coordinator] Shane [Waldron, who came from the Rams] and so after we had a chance to convey him in, he and I had a fantastic dialog, and he got here in and killed it.”
Wolford, who spent the vast majority of his lone season in Tampa Bay on the follow squad final yr, was injured for the second consecutive preseason. Final yr, Wolford sustained a neck harm in New York towards the Jets that prevented him from enjoying within the preseason finale. This yr, Wolford was damage within the second preseason sport at Jacksonville and suffered a rib harm that knocked him out of the preseason finale towards Miami.
His arrival in Carolina ought to additional assist Bryce Younger’s digestion of Canales’ playbook, which is what he ran in Tampa Bay final yr.
Bucs QBs Kyle Trask and John Wolford – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
“I name him the Sandman as a result of he’s our nearer,” Canales mentioned of Wolford. “He will get the final two or three reps of a interval, and he simply is available in and dials it up.
“He’s incredible, and one of many coolest issues to me is it’s a fantastic feeling for a quarterback coach or an offensive coordinator when you already know earlier than the play begins the place the ball ought to go, and it goes there. That’s John Wolford. He’s identical to, ‘Alright, so this ball ought to go to the backline proper right here, and there it’s, bang.’ Good, nice job, John.”
Due to his lack of best NFL dimension and slight construct, coupled together with his penchant for getting injured, the Bucs determined to maneuver on from Wolford this yr because the workforce’s No. 3 quarterback on the follow squad. On Wednesday, Tampa Bay added Michael Pratt, a former seventh-round decide of the Inexperienced Bay Packers this previous April, to the follow squad.
The Bucs appreciated Pratt within the pre-draft scouting course of, and the previous Tulane star will compete with Kyle Trask for the backup job behind Baker Mayfield as soon as he learns the playbook.
