Panthers Add Jim Caldwell To Staff
The Panthers continue to add noteworthy names to their new-look coaching staff. The team announced on Tuesday that Jim Caldwell as been hired under the title of senior assistant. 
The 68-year-old was in consideration for the Panthers’ head coaching position, interviewing for it last month. Caldwell also met with the Broncos before they ultimately acquired Sean Payton to lead their staff. Carolina hired Frank Reich as their new bench boss, and this move will allow he and Caldwell to work together once again.
The latter has an extensive background on offense, but the team announcement notes that he will have a hand in all three phases of the game. That will give Caldwell a somewhat similar role to his previous head coaching positions in Indianapolis and Detroit. He and Reich each held multiple titles with the Colts during their shared time there, eventually leading the latter back to Indianapolis until his midseason 2022 firing.
His staff has taken on a much different look compared to that of his predecessor, Matt Rhule. Caldwell (also a Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator during his two-year stint in Baltimore) brings a wealth of experience from nearly two decades coaching in the NFL. This Panthers position will be his first since 2019, when he worked as the quarterbacks coach in Miami.
Just as Caldwell will assist (in part) on an offensive staff which has Josh McCown in place as QBs coach, Dom Capers was recently brought in to work with the defense. He will provide defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero with an experienced voice on the sidelines, as they look to steer the Panthers towards an improved showing in 2023. The addition of Caldwell will certainly add to the team’s payroll in terms of its coaching staff, but also its expectations.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.
For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
- Chicago Bears: 3-14
- Houston Texans: 3-13-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Carolina Panthers: 7-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-10
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 8-9
- Green Bay Packers: 8-9
- Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
- Detroit Lions: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- New York Giants: 9-7-1
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 13-3
- Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
- New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
- Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
Buccaneers, Panthers To Conduct Second OC Interviews With Thomas Brown
A number of offensive coordinator vacancies have still not yet been filled, in no small part due to the interest being shown in staffers taking part in this year’s Super Bowl. One assistant who is free to join a new team at any time, however, is scheduled to meet with a pair of suitors.
Rams tight ends coach Thomas Brown will interview for a second time with both the Buccaneers and Panthers, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (via Twitter). Brown was the subject of Tampa Bay’s most recent first interview for their Byron Leftwich replacement; that sit-down obviously went well, as he is among the next round of candidates. Pelissero notes that Brown will interview on Wednesday.
One day later, though, Brown will head to Carolina for a second interview with the Panthers, per Pelissero. Brown had not previously been connected to the OC position in Charlotte, one which was occupied in 2022 by Ben McAdoo. With the arrival of head coach Frank Reich, it comes as no surprise that a new direction is the target on offense, as it was on defense as well with the hiring of Ejiro Evero.
The Panthers struggled on offense early in 2022, one of the top contributing factors to Matt Rhule‘s midseason dismissal. That move was followed by the trade sending running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, a signal of the Panthers’ intentions with respect to competing down the stretch. However, their ground game remained strong to close out the season under interim HC Steve Wilks. Overall, though, they struggled in the air and ranked 29th in total offense and 20th in scoring.
Brown, 36, has been rising in acclaim in recent years as he takes on a larger role with Sean McVay and the Rams. With a background coaching both running backs and tight ends, he could be a contributor to both the running and passing game. Brown has not been a coordinator at the NFL level, however, meaning his hire would likely leave play-calling duties with Reich.
Brown is the only reported Carolina candidate so far aside from Jim Bob Cooter. With respect to the Bucs, he is part of a much longer list of staffer connected to the position. The possibility of remaining in Los Angeles still remains, of course, but Brown is very much on the radar for a possible move to the NFC South.
Coaching Notes: Burke, Bolts, Wendell, Jags
In the early days of the Cardinals‘ search for their next head coach, it was uncertain which assistants would be back. That still may be the case. But the Browns sought to hire one of the Cards’ assistants in January. Cleveland hiring Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator prompted an interview request for Arizona defensive line coach Matt Burke, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). Burke had been the Lions’ linebackers coach throughout Schwartz’s time as Detroit’s HC, and the Browns wanted to reunite the veteran assistant with their new DC. But the Cardinals blocked the move, Breer adds.
This ended up working out well for Burke. Weeks later, the Texans filling their head coaching post led to DeMeco Ryans bringing him in for a defensive coordinator interview. Burke is now Houston’s DC, and he may be in position to call plays. Teams cannot block position coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs any longer. The Cardinals’ HC hire will not come to pass until at least next week. Then, Arizona’s staff will start to take shape. Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Former Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell will receive his first chance as an offensive line coach. The Rams are hiring him to lead their O-line, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. Wendell, 36, spent the past four seasons with the Bills — the past three as their assistant O-line coach. Wendell played eight seasons with the Patriots, three as a regular starter, and was the team’s starting right guard during its Super Bowl XLIX-winning season in 2014. After beginning his coaching run in Buffalo, Wendell will take over a Rams O-line that struggled consistently last season.
- The Chargers are in the process of filling out Kellen Moore‘s new offensive staff. They interviewed Raiders offensive assistant Fred Walker for their quarterbacks coach position, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. One of Josh McDaniels‘ hires last year, Walker came to Las Vegas after a run on Duke’s staff under David Cutcliffe. The first of those years, back in 2018, featured Walker working as Daniel Jones‘ QBs coach.
- Former Browns defensive backs coach Jeff Howard had multiple options to continue his career. He received offers from both the Chargers and Panthers, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who notes Howard chose the Bolts (Twitter link). Howard, an NFL assistant for the past 10 seasons, will be the Chargers’ next linebackers coach. The 40-year-old staffer spent seven years as a Vikings assistant before taking the Browns’ DBs job in 2020.
- In addition to Wendell, the Bills will lose another assistant. Buffalo wide receivers coach Chad Hall will leave to take the same position with the Jaguars, Pelissero notes (via Twitter). Hall, 36, had spent the past four seasons as the Bills’ wideouts coach and had been with the team since Sean McDermott arrived in 2017. Hall’s contract had expired. An NFL receiver from 2010-14, Hall’s last stop came with the Jaguars. He also began his career with the Eagles, when current Jags HC Doug Pederson was on staff.
- Sean Payton had eyed Dan Roushar, a longtime Saints assistant, for a spot on his Broncos staff. But the veteran assistant will instead stay in Louisiana. Roushar, whom the Saints dismissed last month, is expected to land on Tulane’s staff, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com tweets. Payton lured Roushar out of the college ranks in 2013, and he spent 10 seasons with the Saints coaching multiple positions. Payton will undoubtedly add some of his former Saints coworkers to his Broncos staff — Ronald Curry has interviewed for Denver’s OC job — but Roushar will return to the college game.
Panthers Add Josh McCown, Dom Capers To Staff
Frank Reich‘s Panthers staff continues to take shape, and more familiar names are headed to Charlotte. Per a team announcement, Carolina has hired Josh McCown as quarterbacks coach and Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant. 
McCown, 43, spent two seasons (2008 and 2009) with the Panthers during his journeyman playing days. That stretch saw him attempt just six passes, but he is nevertheless a hire who, like Reich, has experience inside the organization. This position will be his first coaching opportunity at the NFL level, but certainly not the first which he was connected to.
Following the end of his playing career in Houston in 2020, McCown was named as candidate for the Texans’ head coaching vacancy. The same was true in the 2022 coaching cycle, and he was reportedly a finalist for the position before the team’s eleventh-hour decision to pivot to Lovie Smith. McCown said this past September that he would be open to taking on a non-HC role despite the repeated interest showed in him by the Texans.
In Carolina, McCown will join a highly-regarded bench boss in Reich, who figures to be heavily involved in the development of Carolina’s signal-callers (the identities of whom will, in all likelihood, be noticeably different by the start of the 2023 season than they are now). Interestingly, McCown’s hire has come before that of an offensive coordinator.
As for Capers, this news comes as little surprise. The 72-year-old will hold the same title in Carolina that he did in 2022 with the Broncos. That, of course, allowed him to work alongside defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The pair helped guide Denver’s defense to a strong showing in the latter’s debut season at the coordinator level. Evero was hired by the Panthers to helm their defense this past weekend, and he will continue to have an experienced voice in Capers as a resource during the next chapter of his coaching career.
Capers was the head coach of the first team in Panthers history, one which was quarterbacked by Reich. He also worked with Evero during their time together with the Packers in 2016, and has given him high praise for his work as both an assistant and coordinator. Expectations will be raised for the Panthers in 2023, given their relatively strong finish to this past season, along with the acclaim and familiarity found on Reich’s staff.
Coaching Notes: Bills, Panthers, Dolphins, Saints, Lions, Packers
Another former member of the Panthers organization is heading to Buffalo. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Bills are hiring Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets that the two sides have yet to officially finalize a deal but are heading in that direction.
After having previously spent five seasons as the Panthers linebackers coach, Holcomb returned to Carolina in 2020 as their defensive run game coordinator. When Steve Wilks became the Panthers interim head coach this past season, Holcomb was promoted to the team’s interim defensive coordinator/assistant head coach.
Holcomb worked under former Panthers defensive coordinator (and current Bills head coach) Sean McDermott in Carolina. He also worked alongside current Bills GM Brandon Beane, who previously served as Carolina’s director of football operations and assistant GM.
Speaking of the Panthers, they made their own coaching move today. The team announced that they’ve agreed to terms with linebackers coach Peter Hansen. The coach served in the same role with the Broncos last season, where he coached under new Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The 43-year-old Hansen was previously the defensive coordinator at UNLV.
More coaching notes from around the NFL…
- The Dolphins are hiring Butch Barry as their new offensive line coach, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Barry was recently canned by the Broncos after serving as their OL coach for one season, but now he’ll get another opportunity in Miami. The veteran coach will be replacing Matt Applebaum, who was let go after only one season with the Dolphins organization.
- The Saints have been busy adding to their coaching staff. Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson is heading to New Orleans, per Mike Jurecki (on Twitter). Robertson, who spent the past four years in Arizona, will presumably be serving in the same role with the Saints. Meanwhile, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets that the Saints are closing in on a deal with Clancy Barone to serve as their tight ends coach. The veteran coach most recently served in that same role with the Bears, and he previously worked alongside Saints head coach Dennis Allen when the two were with the Broncos and with Texas A&M. Finally, Underhill tweets the the Saints are retaining offensive assistant Kevin Petry. The young coach “was coveted for a position by Sean Payton” in Denver, per Underhill, but the Saints ultimately convinced him to stick in New Orleans.
- The Lions have made some changes to their coaching staff. Most notably, the team promoted J.T. Barrett to assistant quarterbacks coach and Shaun Dion Hamilton to assistant linebackers coach. Barrett, a former star at Ohio State, bounced around the NFL before joining the Lions coaching staff as an offensive assistant last offseason. Hamilton, a former sixth-round pick, spent a year on the Lions’ roster before joining their coaching staff last year. Per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website (on Twitter), the Lions also promoted Brian Duker to defensive backs coach, Tanner Engstrand to passing game coordinator, and Steve Oliver to assistant offensive line coach. The Lions have also added Dre Thompson as a defensive quality control coach.
- The Packers are hiring former Cardinals cornerbacks coach Greg Williams, according to Tom Silverstein of Packers News. It’s uncertain what role Williams will fill on Matt LaFleur’s staff, but Silverstein expects him to help fill the void left by defensive passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, who left Green Bay for the Falcons. Prior to his four-year stint in Arizona, Williams served as the Broncos and Colts defensive backs coach.
Coaching Notes: Panthers, Kocurek, Leftwich, Titans
Yesterday, Joseph Person of The Athletic provided a breakdown of the Panthers‘ recent search for a new head coach that ended in the hiring of Frank Reich. There were a few notes of interest that we took away from the behind the scenes look.
The first note of interest is the revelation that, when interim head coach Steve Wilks interviewed for the official role, he laid out his full offensive plan for the search committee. Part of Wilks’ offensive plan relied on the pursuit of Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Johnson’s year coaching a phenomenal season by quarterback Jalen Hurts made him a name to watch for many of the open offensive coordinator jobs around the league. He did end up interviewing with the Rams and Jets for jobs that went to Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett, respectively.
A second note of interest is likely a clue as to why Wilks didn’t end up as the official head coach of the Panthers. Of the nine candidates Carolina looked at for the position, seven had offensive backgrounds. Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has a belief that “offensive coordinators-turned-head coaches might have an edge in game management.” That explains why Wilks was so detailed in his offensive plan and, perhaps, how much of an uphill battle he faced.
Lastly, it was reported that Reich was becoming the clear choice for the job by his second interview. “The first time he came in, he was dialed in, laid out his plan,” Fitterer said. “Then when he came back in the second time, he took that plan and went deeper, went to a different level.” Reich was offered the position the next day, prompting an immediate response from the legal team representing Wilks and Brian Flores in their lawsuit accusing the league of racial discrimination.
Here are a few other notes of coaching developments occurring around the NFL:
- Even though Wilks didn’t get the head coaching position he coveted, he ended up landing a top coordinator position in the league with the 49ers, following the departure of DeMeco Ryans. San Francisco defensive line coach Kris Kocurek received some interest for the Texans defensive coordinator position under his former coordinator and was in consideration for the job that Ryans vacated and Wilks took. Wilks apparently was able to convince Kocurek to stay in the Bay Area, keeping a respected defensive assistant on his staff, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
- Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich could be headed to the college ranks, following his recent dismissal from Tampa Bay. According to Grace Remington of 247Sports, Leftwich reached out to Notre Dame about the offensive coordinator position vacated by Tommy Rees, who left to become the offensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa. Leftwich has reportedly remained in contact with the head coach of the Fighting Irish, Marcus Freeman, and remains a strong contender for the job.
- A slew of coaching updates in Nashville were provided earlier today, with a few smaller assignments sliding under notice. Formerly the running backs coach over star Derrick Henry, Tony Dews has transitioned to the tight ends coaching position for the Titans, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It was recently reported that former Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust was making her way to Tennessee. Wilson provided clarification that she has been brought on in a defensive quality control role. Justin Hamilton will reportedly join her in a similar role. Finally, Wilson provided news of a departure, reporting that secondary coach Anthony Midget will not be retained in 2023.
Panthers Hire Ejiro Evero As DC
Just one day after being let out of his Broncos contract, Ejiro Evero has found his next NFL opportunity. The Panthers are hiring him to be their new defensive coordinator, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). The team has announced the move. 
The 42-year-old helped his stock around the league during the 2022 season, his first in Denver. The Broncos generally held up very well defensively, in spite of the team’s significant struggles on offense. It therefore came as little surprise when Evero was offered the interim head coaching role after Nathaniel Hackett was fired, but he turned down that opportunity in lieu of preparing for a busy offseason fielding interest from around the league.
Evero was closely tied to the Vikings’ DC vacancy, especially in the wake of Denver’s decision to let him head elsewhere. The Broncos’ front office preferred to keep him in place alongside new head coach Sean Payton, but the latter will be headed in a different direction to fill out that position on his staff.
The Panthers – who interviewed Evero for their head coaching vacancy last month – opted for a more experienced option in Frank Reich. It was reported not long after that decision that Carolina’s target for the DC role was Vic Fangio, but he ended up taking a massive deal with the Dolphins. Evero was quickly named as a potential secondary option, and he is now set to guide a talented unit in Charlotte.
Carolina put up middling numbers across several defensive categories in 2022. They, like the team as a whole, played better down the stretch as the Panthers pushed for the division title in a weak NFC South. Much of the credit for their turnaround was given to interim head coach Steve Wilks; the latter was the players’ preference to be hired on a full-time basis, and interviewed twice for the position. Today’s announcement confirms, however, that he will need to look elsewhere to continue his coaching career.
As for Minnesota, who had been working on setting up an interview with Evero, their attention will now turn to the other presumed finalist to lead their defense. Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that Brian Flores is the name to watch, adding that the Vikings are “now in a strong position” to hire the ex-Dolphins head coach. Denver, meanwhile, has shown interest in both Flores and Sean Desai for what is now an official DC vacancy. Regardless of what those two teams do, Evero is set for the new beginning he requested.
Panthers GM Scott Fitterer To Have Final Say Over 53-Man Roster
In his introductory press conference, new Panthers head coach Frank Reich shed some light on how the team will operate with respect to personnel decisions. Per Reich, GM Scott Fitterer will have final say over Carolina’s 53-man roster (Twitter link via Albert Breer of SI.com).
Reich was clear that this delineation of power is a “paper” one, meaning that he and Fitterer will collaborate on roster construction and staffing decisions. He said, “Scott will have control of the 53. I’ll have control of who’s active, who’s not active. But, ultimately, that’s on paper. In reality, this is 100 percent collaborative. I can already tell that with Scott. We’re gonna work side by side. We’re gonna tirelessly work where we’re gonna have the same vision” (via Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire).
Still, given that former head coach Matt Rhule had full control over the Panthers’ roster and was sometimes reluctant to change his stance on roster-related matters, a new approach could be a welcome change. That is especially true for Fitterer, who took the general manager title upon joining the Panthers in 2021 but who did not get the same chance to exercise his personnel muscles as most other GMs around the league.
Seeing the writing on the wall, Fitterer reportedly began distancing himself from Rhule during the 2021 season, and after Rhule was fired, owner David Tepper was quick to voice his support for his GM. Now, the former Seahawks exec will have more control over his own fate as he and Reich attempt to build on the progress that Carolina showed under interim HC Steve Wilks during the final 12 games of the 2022 campaign.
The Fitterer-Reich partnership is presently seeking a new offensive and defensive coordinator, and the duo will soon be tasked with identifying and acquiring a franchise quarterback. Fitterer and assistant GM Dan Morgan spent much of the fall scouting the top four quarterbacks in the 2023 class — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson — in person, and while some of those passers will be gone by the time Carolina is on the clock with the No. 9 overall pick, the team could consider a trade up.
The Panthers could explore a reunion with Sam Darnold as a bridge option, and it is unclear how Reich feels about 2022 draftee Matt Corral, who is ticketed for a backup role on the 2023 depth chart. One way or another, the upcoming quarterback decision will likely play a major role in the long-term job security of both Fitterer and Reich.
In related news, Reich’s daughter, Hannah Reich Fairman, recently addressed the controversy that her hire as a member of the Panthers’ marketing department engendered. In a now-deleted tweet, Fairman announced on January 8 — the last day of the regular season — that she had accepted the job, which led some to believe that she was hired either to entice Reich to accept the HC post or as part of a pre-arranged deal with Reich. If that were the case, then that would obviously create concerns about the team’s interview process and Rooney Rule compliance.
However, Fairman recently said that she applied for the job while Reich was still employed by the Colts, so the Panthers can credibly argue that her hire was made entirely independently of her father’s (Twitter link via Sheena Quick of FOX 1340). There is no indication that the league is planning an investigation of the matter.
Panthers Request DC Interview With Ejiro Evero; Latest On Broncos Candidacy
7:40pm: With Evero no longer a member of the Broncos’ staff, Denver does not have the power to block a lateral move such as one which would see him head to Carolina. An interview with the Panthers at an unknown date has been set up, per Troy Renck of Denver7. To little surprise, he adds that Evero “expects to get” either that DC position, or the one in Minnesota to which he has also been very closely linked. In any case, it will likely not take long before his next NFL gig is in place.
1:58pm: Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero continues to draw considerable interest around the NFL despite the uncertainty regarding his future in Denver. In addition to the Vikings, the Panthers are interested in hiring him via a lateral move.
Carolina has requested a DC interview with Evero, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). That news comes less than one month after the Panthers met with the 42-year-old for their head coaching vacancy, which has since been filled by Frank Reich. Despite not landing a HC role so far in the 2023 cycle, Evero is expected to lead an NFL staff in the very near future.
Not long after Reich’s appointment, it came out that the Panthers were eying Vic Fangio for their DC position. The latter eventually chose to head to Miami instead, though, leaving them to turn elsewhere in their search. It comes as little surprise they have their eyes on Evero, who drew notable praise for his work with Denver’s defense in 2022, his first campaign in the Mile High City. Whether he stays there for the upcoming sesason or not remains to be seen, however.
The Broncos have not yet given the Vikings permission to interview Evero as their Ed Donatell replacement, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). He adds that Evero would be Minnesota’s preferred choice if a sit-down were to be arranged, though that may be unlikely. It was reported earlier this week that the Broncos wish to keep Evero in place as a top assistant under new head coach Sean Payton; Breer notes that the pair have spoken to discuss their (potential) future together.
In a follow-up, Breer also tweets that the Rams could be a team to keep an eye on should they find themselves in need of a new DC. Raheem Morris is one of many candidates remaining for the Colts’ HC position, so the possibility remains that he winds up in Indianapolis in the near future. Evero would represent a logical replacement candidate for Morris, since he spent five years in Los Angeles prior to his arrival in Denver this past year.
Amidst all this uncertainty, the Broncos have requested DC interviews of their own with Seahawks defensive assistant Sean Desai and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores. That leaves much to be answered with respect to Evero’s immediate future, but if he does end up outside of Denver in 2023, he will have no shortage of suitors.