For Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers, this offseason has been all about one thing: change. A new season, a new mindset, and most importantly, a fresh approach to building a winning team. Canales didn’t come to Carolina just to tread water; he’s here to shake things up. And after minicamp, it seems he’s already making moves that nobody saw coming. The Panthers’ front office has long been cautious about signing older players, preferring youth and upside over proven veterans. But sometimes, winning requires bending the rules – or breaking them entirely. That’s why the latest buzz out of Charlotte has raised eyebrows across the league. A surprising shift in philosophy. A sudden interest in a player who doesn’t fit the usual mold. Something’s cooking in Carolina, and it’s got the whole league leaning in. Word around the NFL circles? The Panthers are suddenly in the mix for a name you wouldn’t expect. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler dropped the scoop: they’re kicking the tires on Justin Simmons. You remember him – two Pro Bowls, that season where he snatched more picks than anyone, the kind of safety that makes QBs double-check their reads. The same Justin Simmons this front office supposedly wouldn’t touch because of his age. Funny how winning (or losing) changes things.NFL Safety UPDATE:The Carolina Panthers have expressed interest in former Pro Bowl Safety Justin Simmons, once one of the absolute best at his position, per Jeremy Fowler… I’m surprised because my sources told me this Panthers regime isn’t interested in ‘past prime’ players pic.twitter.com/5aGahO6nC7— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) June 15, 2025Now here’s the interesting part – this Panthers front office has spent all offseason preaching about building young. No more band-aid veterans, they said. Yet suddenly they’re eyeing up a 31-year-old safety? Maybe Ejiro Evero‘s whispering in their ear – the DC worked with Simmons back in Denver and knows what Justin can still do. Or maybe they peeked at their safety depth chart after minicamp and realized Tre’von Moehrig can’t do it all alone. Whatever the reason, it’s clear Carolina’s playing a different tune than they were singing just a few months ago.And this ain’t some fly-by-night rumor. The Panthers have been sniffing around the veteran safety market all offseason, kicking the tires on guys like Julian Blackmon and Marcus Williams before this. They’re clearly not messing around when it comes to fixing that back end.Dave Canales’ locker room revolutionThe Panthers’ rookies are balling out at minicamp, and Canales can’t stop gushing about how sharp they look. But let’s be real here: you can’t build a defense on rookie hype alone. Sure, first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan looks like a natural, and Day 2 picks like Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen are already showing veteran-level preparation. But in the NFL, youth need balance. And that’s exactly why Carolina’s sudden interest in Justin Simmons makes too much sense.Canales has been crystal clear about his expectations: this isn’t a vacation. Players were sent home with a warning – stay sharp, or get left behind. The rookies might be ahead of the curve, but the Panthers’ safety room? Outside of Tre’von Moehrig, it’s a mix of unproven talent and journeymen. That’s a risky gamble for a defense that’s supposed to take a leap under Ejiro Evero. And let’s be honest, minicamp confirmed what we already knew: effort and culture are great, but experience wins close games.That’s where Simmons comes in. He’s not just a familiar face for Evero’s system; he’s a walking cheat code for a young secondary. Imagine a guy who led the league in interceptions two years ago mentoring Lathan Ransom, the rookie safety who’s still learning the ropes. Or steadying the back end when the Panthers face Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. This isn’t about nostalgia – it’s about solving a problem that minicamp quietly exposed.The Panthers could roll into training camp with what they’ve got and hope for the best. But Canales isn’t here to hope. He’s here to win. So maybe that whole ‘no old guys’ policy needs some tweaking. If bringing in a savvy vet like Simmons is what it takes to turn close losses into wins, then hell – that’s not cheating the rebuild, that’s playing smart football. We’ve all seen how one clutch play from a seasoned pro can flip a whole season.The post Dave Canales’ Panthers Abandon Roster Bias for 2x Pro Bowler After Minicamp appeared first on EssentiallySports.