Panthers’ HC Hire Comes With Some Potential Controversy
Carolina broke the seal on head coaching hires this offseason when it announced the decision to hire former Colts head coach Frank Reich today to officially replace Matt Rhule, spurning interim head coach Steve Wilks in the process. A closer look at the Panthers’ recent hires, though, may bring us back to an issue the NFL has been struggling to fight in recent years, and may lead Carolina into pending litigation against the NFL and multiple other teams, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. 
On January 8, nearly three weeks ago and a mere two hours after the Panthers’ regular season had come to a close, Reich’s daughter, Hannah Reich Fairman, announced that she had officially accepted a job with Carolina on Twitter. On its face, there’s nothing wrong with Fairman’s hiring. Even in a league rife with nepotism, the personnel addition couldn’t even be considered as such as Reich didn’t yet work for the Panthers.
Wilks already has a storied role in the league’s history of racial discrimination. Wilks is involved in the pending Brian Flores racial discrimination case against the league and several teams, having sued the Cardinals. After the announcement that Wilks was being passed over for Reich, Wilks’ lawyer in the suit, Doug Wigdor, implied that Carolina would soon find itself added to the lawsuit as a defendant, as reported by Florio. The argument on Wilks’ behalf is that racial bias affected his chances to remain the head coach in Carolina on an official basis and that his existing involvement in the pending lawsuit against the NFL led the Panthers to consider him in a lesser capacity.
“We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into playoff contention and garnering the support of the players and fans, that he was passed over for the head coach position by (Panthers owner) David Tepper,” Wigdor averred in his statement. “There is a legitimate race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.”
Whether or not Fairman’s hiring holds any wrongdoing, it immediately becomes a point of interest in the eventual litigation. The theory would be that the Panthers knew that Reich would eventually become their head coach when they hired Fairman and strung any other candidates along for a sham coaching search that made a mockery of the NFL’s diversity hiring rules and efforts. Efforts like the Rooney Rule have been minimized into red tape that has NFL franchises perfunctorily going through mandatory motions with zero intention.
If Reich’s appointment was a done deal at the time of Fairman’s hiring, it becomes a key example of the league’s issues with racial discrimination, and Wilks case gains much more evidential validity. In order to prove that theory, an investigation will have to be undertaken to review all communications and question those involved in the hiring process.
Panthers Hire Frank Reich As Head Coach
The Panthers will make this year’s first head coaching hire. They have decided on Frank Reich, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
Reich joined interim coach Steve Wilks as Carolina’s finalists. A quarterback on the Panthers’ inaugural 1995 squad, Reich will have a second head coaching opportunity following a midseason Colts dismissal. The Panthers have announced the hire. Following Matt Rhule‘s seven-year contract, Joe Person of The Athletic notes this is a four-year agreement (Twitter link).
Carolina had been zeroing in on offense-oriented coaches for a while, but Wilks’ performance as interim HC interfered with that plan. Wilks, who went 6-6 in his chance as the Panthers’ interim boss, joined Reich in interviewing twice for the position. The latter’s experience as a play-caller won out. Reich also interviewed for the Cardinals’ HC post, and a few teams wanted to speak with him about their offensive coordinator positions. But Reich said shortly after his Indianapolis exit he wanted a second chance as a head coach.
Reich zoomed onto the HC radar in 2018, after he played a central role in helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LII after losing their starting quarterback. Nick Foles‘ virtuoso finish to the 2017 season led to Reich becoming the Colts’ head coach, though he was Indy’s second choice following Josh McDaniels‘ infamous about-face. Reich ended up being a solid choice for the team, coaching two Colts squads to playoff berths.
The 2018 Colts edition did not face high expectations, but Reich led a turnaround that ended in the divisional round. Andrew Luck bounced back with a 39-touchdown pass season under Reich, but another run of injury trouble during the 2019 offseason led the standout passer to announce his retirement just before the season. Reich navigated that setback for a bit, reuniting with ex-Chargers pupil Philip Rivers in 2020, but the Colts are still dealing with the fallout from Luck’s retirement. After the 2020 playoff berth preceded Rivers’ retirement, the wheels gradually fell off for the Colts. Their 9-8 2021 season — ending with an ugly Week 18 loss to the two-touchdown underdog Jaguars — prompted Jim Irsay to insist on sweeping changes, and that process soon led to Reich’s firing.
Reich, 61, had advocated for Carson Wentz in 2021, and the Colts bypassed a draft move to reunite their HC with his ex-Eagles charge. Wentz had moments in 2021 and ranked in the top 10 in QBR, throwing 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions. Wentz was inconsistent down the stretch that year, and after a COVID-19 contraction, he struggled mightily in the Colts’ final two games — losses that knocked them out of the playoff race. Irsay demanded Wentz be traded, leading to an Irsay-endorsed Matt Ryan partnership. Ryan’s woes in his age-37 season led to Irsay demanding Reich bench him for former sixth-round pick Sam Ehlinger. This run of owner-mandated moves eventually led to Reich being canned in November — not long after the Panthers axed Rhule. Irsay later said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021, putting a bow on an eventful 2022 for the Colts owner.
A longtime Bills backup who led the greatest comeback in playoff history — a 32-point rally past the Oilers in the 1992 wild-card round — Reich played the 1995 season with the Panthers. Arriving in Carolina as a free agent in ’95, Reich took the first snap in team history. He moved into coaching in the mid-2000s and began his rise as the Chargers’ OC under Mike McCoy nearly a decade later. Reich will come full circle with the Panthers, who recently hired one of his daughters to work in their marketing department, per Person. Frank’s brother, Joe, has also been the head coach at Charlotte-area Wingate University for 22 years.
Wilks has deeper ties to the Panthers. He is a Charlotte native who coached in Carolina as a Ron Rivera assistant and then an interim HC. Players advocated for Wilks, who did one of the better jobs in interim coaching history last season. With Reich beating him out for the full-time gig, Wilks intends to coach elsewhere in 2023, Pelissero tweets.
The Panthers were also quite impressed with Cowboys OC Kellen Moore, Rapoport tweets, but they will go with experience in Reich. Moore, 33, just finished his fourth season as Dallas’ play-caller and interviewed over a two-day period with Carolina this week. Although David Tepper met with Sean Payton this week, a trade between two NFC South franchises was never likely.
Tepper’ssecond hire will be a first for the Panthers, who have never seen their head coach double as their offensive play-caller. The Panthers have either employed defensive-minded leaders (Dom Capers, George Seifert, John Fox, Rivera) or a CEO-type HC (Rhule). Tepper’s seven-year, $62MM Rhule contract backfired, leading the owner to prioritize NFL experience this time around.
Steve Wilks, Frank Reich Set For Second Panthers HC Interviews
This year’s methodically paced NFL head coaching search will now produce second interviews for the Panthers’ top staff position. Steve Wilks and Frank Reich are among the finalists.
The Carolina interim HC and the former Colts HC are the first known finalists for the full-time gig and will each go through second interviews Wednesday, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com note (Twitter links). Wilks gained steam throughout his interim run, while Reich has interviewed with both the Panthers and Cardinals.
Carolina is believed to be targeting experience with this year’s hire, which certainly makes sense after its Matt Rhule whiff, but Rapoport adds (via Twitter) Cowboys OC Kellen Moore impressed Panthers brass during his first interview. It would not surprise to see Moore, then, book a second interview. But he does not bring the experience Reich and Wilks do.
Although Wilks generated extensive support to keep the gig, the Panthers have already begun interviewing defensive coordinator candidates. They have spoken with Vic Fangio and requested interviews with Kris Richard and Marquand Manuel. Wilks’ background is on the defensive side, and Al Holcomb served as Carolina’s interim DC in the wake of the Phil Snow firing. The Panthers already taking steps to interview defensive bosses — and not move toward addressing its OC — points to the team making post-Wilks plans. Carolina has long been connected to an offense-oriented hire, but Wilks going 6-6 in his interim chance and not receiving strong consideration would likely have gone over poorly among Panthers players.
Reich stands to have options — either as a head coach or coordinator — in the coming days and weeks. Should he strike out on securing a second head coaching opportunity this year, teams have been connected to the five-year Colts coach for OC openings. The Chargers, Jets and Rams have been connected to Reich in some capacity. Both the Bolts and Jets gigs come with play-calling responsibilities, but Reich said soon after his Colts dismissal he wanted to stay on the HC level. The Panthers have already discussed staff options with Reich, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the veteran play-caller has gained steam throughout this process (Twitter links).
This component may not matter too much as the team looks to regain its footing after the seven-year Rhule deal backfired, but both Wilks and Reich have ties to the Charlotte area. Wilks grew up in the city, while Reich spent the 1995 season with the Panthers’ inaugural edition. Reich’s brother also is the head coach at Wingate, a college in the area.
Panthers Request Permission To Interview Marquand Manuel For Coordinator Position
The Panthers have requested permission to interview Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for “a coordinator position,” per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Presumably, Carolina is interested in installing Manuel as its defensive coordinator.
Manuel, 43, enjoyed an eight-year playing career in the NFL from 2002-09 and joined the coaching ranks as an assistant special teams coach with the Seahawks in 2012. He worked as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator from 2017-18, but Atlanta finished in the bottom-five in total defense in 2018 after boasting a top-10 unit the year before, and the team parted ways with Manuel at the conclusion of the campaign.
After one year as a DBs coach with the Eagles in 2020, Manuel joined Robert Saleh‘s first Jets staff in 2021 and has served as Gang Green’s safeties coach over the past two seasons. The Jets allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game and the third-fewest passing yards per game in 2022, which is certainly a feather in Manuel’s cap (though this is the first time we have heard of outside interest in his services in the current coaching cycle).
Of particular interest here is what the interview request could mean for Steve Wilks‘ candidacy as the Panthers’ head coach. Wilks, who stepped in as interim HC upon Matt Rhule‘s ouster in October, guided the club to a surprising 6-6 finish to the season, and he nearly captured a division title in the process. He also appears to have the full support of his locker room.
Nonetheless, as David Newton of ESPN.com tweets, Al Holcomb is Wilks’ defensive coordinator. So if the team is going in a different direction at DC, it could mean that it is, by extension, planning on going in a different direction at head coach.
While two of Carolina’s HC candidates, Jerod Mayo and Jim Harbaugh, are no longer in the running, there are nine other options (including Wilks) as of the time of his writing. The full list is as follows, and the majority of the remaining candidates have an offensive background, which Wilks does not have but which may be a priority for team ownership:
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interview requested
- Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): No longer on radar
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
- Jerod Mayo, inside linebackers coach (Patriots): Interview declined
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Interview expected
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview postponed
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/14
- Steve Wilks, interim head coach (Panthers): Interviewed 1/10
Panthers To Interview Steve Wilks For HC Job, Not Planning Expansive Search
Although David Tepper spoke with Jim Harbaugh about the Panthers’ HC position, the team’s first formal interview should not surprise. Interim coach Steve Wilks will interview for the full-time job Tuesday, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required).
Wilks went 6-6 as Carolina’s interim leader, doing so despite continuous quarterback injuries and taking over a team that had traded Christian McCaffrey. But no interim coach has risen to full-time status with his team since the Jaguars took the interim label off Doug Marrone in 2017.
This year’s Panthers hiring process is not expected to be expansive. GM Scott Fitterer said Monday this year’s list of candidates “will not be a large group.” Teams often want to meet with a high number of candidates from different sides of the ball or, in Carolina’s most recent case, from the college ranks. A limited search seemingly bodes well for Wilks, but the Panthers came away with Matt Rhule after a thin batch of interviews. Tepper’s seven-year, $62MM Rhule deal proved a major misfire for the Panthers, who almost certainly will focus on the pro ranks this time around.
Fitterer will be part of the search committee, but so will Tepper’s wife, Nicole, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. A longtime Seahawks exec, Fitterer moved through a wide-ranging GM search to land the Carolina gig in 2021. Not part of the Rhule search, Fitterer will be a central figure in Carolina’s latest pursuit. But Tepper, who has made some headlines since buying the Panthers in 2018, will likely lead the way.
The Panthers are expected to interview former Colts and Lions HC Jim Caldwell and fellow ex-Indy HC Frank Reich, but the Harbaugh-Panthers connection does not look to be particularly strong. Tepper said Wilks would be considered to stay on if he did an “incredible job.” Wilks won more games than Rhule did in either of his two full seasons and showed considerable improvement compared to his 3-13 Cardinals season in 2018, but the Buccaneers’ Week 17 demolition of the Panthers’ secondary — Wilks’ specialty — undoubtedly hurt the popular interim’s chances.
Carolina has been linked to wanting an offense-oriented coach as well. That has certainly been a popular approach from teams over the past several years, and the Panthers have never hired an offense-geared HC — at least, not one with notable experience in the pros. The Panthers must interview two external minority candidates, in accordance with the Rooney Rule, as well.
Latest On Panthers’ Head Coaching Plans
In the post-Matt Rhule era, Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks has done an admirable job of navigating a turbulent back two-thirds of the season. Now with the regular season over after missing the playoffs for the fifth straight year, Carolina is faced with the task of determining who will be leading the team going into the 2023 NFL season.
Despite the franchise going into “sell-mode” and parting ways with players like star running back Christian McCaffrey and starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, Wilks led the Panthers to a 6-6 finish to the season. The six losses included three one-score games including a six-point loss to the Buccaneers that was the difference between winning or losing the division. If Carolina had pulled out the victory last week in Tampa Bay, Wilks and company would be hosting a playoff game next week.
Wilks is expected to be interviewed for a permanent role as head coach. His past experience as the Cardinals head coach in 2018 doesn’t necessarily shine on a resume, but his performance turning around a flailing Panthers squad this season should speak volumes. If that’s not enough, defensive leader Shaq Thompson told reporters that he and other players intend to talk to team owner David Tepper in order to voice their support for Wilks, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Having the backing of the players he would be coaching should be another heavily-weighed factor in the upcoming decision.
Wilks should have a good amount of competition for the job. Carolina is expected to interview former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell and former Colts head coach Frank Reich for the position, according to Jay Glazer of FOX NFL Sunday.
Caldwell has been out of the NFL since 2019. After parting ways with the Lions in 2017, Caldwell consulted for the reincarnated XFL before joining the Dolphins as a quarterbacks coach. Before the season began, though, Caldwell reportedly took a leave of absence to address health issues but stuck around to consult on the team. Since being fired by Detroit, Caldwell interviewed for the Packers, Jets, and Browns head coaching gigs in 2019 and the Jaguars and Bears jobs this past offseason.
Reich had a couple of rollercoaster seasons with the Colts in his first head coaching stint. Despite working with a new starting quarterback every season, Reich led Indianapolis to the playoffs twice. In his first four seasons as head coach, his team’s worst performance was a 7-9 finish. Even after getting fired after a 3-5-1 start this year, Reich ended his tenure in Indianapolis with a winning record at 40-33-1.
More names are sure to emerge as the offseason opens up. For now, though, the Panthers appear to be in one of the more favorable positions compared to other franchises expected to be looking for new head coaches. After a finish to the season that showed a good amount of promise, having strong options such as Wilks, Caldwell, and Reich should leave Panthers fans looking forward to better days in the future.
Latest On Panthers’ HC Plans
The Panthers’ climb back into relative contention — due to the NFC South’s collective struggles — stands to boost Steve Wilks‘ chances of becoming the first interim HC to stay on as his team’s full-time leader in six years. But that is not considered the most likely path for the Panthers.
Carolina may be set to conduct an expansive search to replace Matt Rhule. The team is being linked to wanting an offensive-minded assistant, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, while also valuing experience. Previously mentioned as wanting to replace Rhule with someone that has head-coaching experience, Panthers owner David Tepper continues to be linked retread options as well.
Frank Reich, Dan Quinn, Marvin Lewis and Leslie Frazier — in the event an unlikely intra-division trade for Sean Payton is a no-go — are being mentioned as names on the Panthers’ radar, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds, while also noting the team should be expected to be connected to up-and-coming OC types. This sets up a wide-net scenario for the Panthers, which makes sense after Tepper prioritized Rhule in 2020 and gave him a mega-deal to come up from the college ranks. While the Panthers will be free of that seven-year, $62MM contract by next year, Tepper’s initial hire proved to be a misstep.
When a September report indicated Tepper was seeking a former head coach to replace Rhule, Reich was not yet available. The five-year Colts HC being on the market and hoping to secure a second chance could change the equation. Frazier is also believed to be on the Colts’ radar, in the event they want a more experienced option compared to Jeff Saturday.
Quinn, Lewis and Frazier are each defensive-minded options. Quinn, who signed a Cowboys extension after his stint on this year’s coaching carousel, interviewed with five teams for HC jobs this year and turned down a Jaguars interview opportunity. In his sixth season as the Bills’ DC, Frazier joined Quinn in interviewing for the Bears, Dolphins and Giants jobs this year. The ex-Vikings HC has also rebuilt his stock to the point he could receive a second chance nearly 10 years after his first one ended. Holding by far the most coaching experience of this lot, Lewis (16 years as the Bengals’ HC) has not been a mainstay on recent coaching carousels. He spent the past three seasons on Herm Edwards‘ Arizona State staff. The Sun Devils fired Edwards during this season.
The Panthers have employed five offensive coordinators during Tepper’s five-season stay, twice making changes in-season. Going with an offense-oriented coach would make sense for stability and quarterback development, as the team would not run the risk of its play-caller being hired away. The Panthers have never hired an NFL OC to be their head coach, going from Dom Capers to George Seifert to John Fox to Ron Rivera to Rhule. Though, Rhule’s background — almost all of it at the college level — was on the offensive side of the ball.
Carolina sits one game behind Tampa Bay for first place in a division featuring four sub-.500 teams, but Wilks is 4-4 since replacing Rhule. The Charlotte native and former Cardinals one-and-done HC has increased his chances of getting a long look at the full-time gig, but Breer expects Tepper to go with his own coach once the hiring period begins. It will be interesting, however, if the Panthers turn this rally into a playoff berth. That would stand to make Tepper’s decision more difficult.
Latest On Steve Wilks’ Future With Panthers
There’s not much optimism that Steve Wilks will retain the Panthers head coaching gig after this season, but it sounds like the organization will at least give him a chance. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that people around the NFL believe Wilks is a “long shot for the long-term job.”
However, Fowler cautions that the Panthers have held off on the hiring process as they look to give Wilks a legitimate chance to keep the full-time gig. Meanwhile, Joseph Person of The Athletic writes that owner David Tepper will use the final five games to determine Wilks’ future with the organization.
While sources believe Tepper could be targeting an offensive-minded coach, there’s plenty going for Wilks. Tepper is reportedly a fan of the coach, and Wilks has also won over the locker room in recent weeks. The head coach also told reporters that he’s in “constant communication” with the team’s owner, although the discussions generally revolve around “team-related topics” vs. the coach’s future with the squad.
“We don’t get into the future. I’m not about the future right now. It’s about winning the day,” Wilks said recently (via Person). “As I told you guys from Day 1, I’ve got 13 weeks. And I’m gonna try to do it my way within those 13 weeks and whatever happens at the end, we’ll deal with it.”
Wilks was named interim head coach after the Panthers fired Matt Rhule in early October. The Panthers have gone 3-4 with Wilks at the helm despite uncertainty at the quarterback position and the subtraction of star RB Christian McCaffrey. Wilks was a long-time collegiate coach before getting hired by the Bears in 2006. He had a six-year stint with the Panthers before getting hired as the Cardinals head coach in 2018. Wilks went 3-13 in Arizona before getting canned. He was the defensive coordinator with the Browns and Missouri before re-joining the Panthers as their defensive passing-game coordinator and secondary coach for the 2022 campaign.
Steve Wilks Making “Strong Push” For Panthers’ Permanent HC Post
Since taking over for Matt Rhule in October, Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks has been making the most of a difficult situation. Although Carolina is 2-4 with Wilks at the helm, a missed extra point was the deciding factor in a Week 8 loss to the Falcons, and the Panthers and Ravens were tied 3-3 midway through the fourth quarter of their Week 11 contest before several late turnovers sealed a Baltimore victory.
Simply put, the Panthers have been more competitive under Wilks, and as Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes, owner David Tepper has taken notice. Earlier reporting indicated that Tepper would want an experienced option as his permanent replacement for Rhule, and while Wilks’ previous head coaching gig lasted only one season — a disappointing 3-13 campaign with the Cardinals in 2018 — his time in Arizona and his stint as Carolina’s interim HC will give him 28 games as a sideline general by the time the 2022 season comes to an end.
Whether that is sufficient experience for Tepper remains to be seen. One factor working against Wilks is that his background is on the defensive side of the ball; outside of his time as a head coach, all of his jobs in the collegiate and professional ranks have been as a defensive coach or coordinator, and per Jones, Tepper is seeking an “up-and-coming offensive mind.”
It’s worth noting that Jones’ report and the prior reports concerning Tepper’s desire for an experienced former NFL head coach do not necessarily mesh. Someone with significant NFL head coaching experience probably does not qualify as an “up-and-coming” offensive guru, which puts one in mind of Sean McVay before he was hired by the Rams, or Kevin Stefanski before he was hired by the Browns. If Tepper does tab someone other than Wilks as his permanent HC, perhaps it will be a candidate like Lions OC Ben Johnson, who — unlike Rhule when he joined the Panthers — at least has considerable NFL experience, even if none of it has come at the head coaching level.
One way or another, Jones says Wilks is “making a strong push” to have the interim label removed from his title. Carolina’s recent fortunes have been undermined by the team’s quarterback situation, as its 2020 Teddy Bridgewater acquisition and subsequent trades for former top draft choices Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield have yielded nothing but disappointment. The locker room support that Wilks presently enjoys, the adjustments he has made due to inconsistent QB play — adjustments that have resulted in an improved running game despite the trade of Christian McCaffrey — and the club’s competitive fire under Wilks will certainly give Tepper a lot to consider.
Of course, as Jones acknowledges, Wilks’ win-loss record over the final six games of the season will also factor into Tepper’s decision. Wilks’ efforts to secure the permanent HC post will continue in Sunday’s Week 12 battle with the Broncos, a game in which Darnold will make his 2022 debut.
Panthers QB Notes: Darnold, Mayfield, Rhule, Herbert, Stafford, Tepper, Watson
Although the Panthers are starting Baker Mayfield in Week 11, they want to see Sam Darnold in action this season. Steve Wilks said he would like to give Darnold some work, though the interim HC did not indicate that would be certain to happen this week against the Ravens. “I’m interested in winning the game. This is not pay $250 to get to play,” Wilks said, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (on Twitter).
Carolina used one of its injury activations to move Darnold onto its 53-man roster last week, but the former No. 3 overall pick did not see any action against the Falcons. P.J. Walker is out of the picture for the time being, after becoming the third Carolina QB this season to suffer a high ankle sprain. Mayfield will make his first start since sustaining his ankle injury in Week 9. Here is the latest from what has become one of the more complex QB situations in recent NFL history:
- After playing hurt last season, Mayfield has not turned it around. On the radar for a potential franchise-QB deal in 2021, Mayfield is on track for free agency for the first time. The market for the former No. 1 overall pick may check in at $5-$7MM on a prove-it deal, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. Mayfield’s 17.7 QBR ranks last in the NFL.
- This situation has been in flux since Cam Newton‘s 2019 foot injury. Prior to the team making the Newton-for-Teddy Bridgewater change, GM Marty Hurney and most of the Panthers’ scouts were high on Justin Herbert. But Matt Rhule did not view 2020 as the window to draft a quarterback, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com indicating in an expansive piece the team saw a jump from No. 7 overall to No. 4 — ahead of the QB-seeking Dolphins and Chargers — as too costly. While then-Giants GM Dave Gettleman was not keen on trading down, going most of his GM career without ever doing so, the Panthers not making a push for Herbert has led to QB chaos.
- After the Panthers determined Bridgewater — a preference of former OC Joe Brady — would be a one-and-done in Charlotte, they made a big offer for Matthew Stafford. Negotiations between new Panthers GM Scott Fitterer and Lions rookie GM Brad Holmes at the 2021 Senior Bowl led to Panthers brass leaving Mobile believing they were set to acquire Stafford, Fowler notes. It is interesting to learn how far the GMs progressed in talks, because Stafford made it known soon after he did not want to play for the Panthers. The Rams then came in late with their two-first-rounder offer, forcing the Panthers and others to look elsewhere.
- Rhule then pushed hard for Darnold, Fowler adds, after Panthers staffers went through film sessions evaluating he, Carson Wentz and Drew Lock. The Panthers sent the Jets second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for the former No. 3 overall pick and picked up his guaranteed $18.9MM fifth-year option. Owner David Tepper begrudgingly picked up the option but became irked by the 2023 cost hanging over the franchise, per Fowler. Tepper is believed to have held up this year’s Mayfield trade talks in order to move the Browns to pick up more money on his option salary. The delay was connected to the Panthers already having Darnold’s fifth-year option to pay.
- Tepper’s main prize during this multiyear QB odyssey, Deshaun Watson, was leery of the Panthers’ staff uncertainty, Fowler adds. All things being equal between the four finalists — Atlanta, Carolina, Cleveland, New Orleans — the Panthers were not believed to be Watson’s first choice. The Falcons were viewed as the team that would have landed Watson if the Browns did not make that unprecedented $230MM guarantee offer.
- Fitterer offered support for a Mitch Trubisky signing this offseason, according to Fowler, who adds the team never engaged in extended talks with Jimmy Garoppolo‘s camp. While Garoppolo said the Panthers were in the mix, the team was believed to be leery of his injury history. Trubisky is in Year 1 of a two-year, $14.3MM deal. While Trubisky may well be available again in 2023, the Panthers — having added six draft picks from the Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson trades — will be connected to this year’s crop of QB prospects.