Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper hasn’t made his desire for an offensive-minded head coach much of a secret. In fact, he reportedly remains steadfast in that wish, even if the recent one didn’t pan out.
But could an experienced and accomplished defensive mind change Tepper’s outlook?
NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero offered up their latest intel about the league’s coaching carousel on Saturday night. Among the teams mentioned were the Panthers, for whom they had this to write about:
It’s all set up well for a young coach such as Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was believed to be their target last year before pulling his name out of the search (and all others) the night before he was supposed to get on a plane to Charlotte for an in-person interview. Modernizing and fixing the offense remains a priority, so Dolphins OC Frank Smith and Texans OC Bobby Slowik are also logical candidates, among others. Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is highly valued in the building and should get an interview, too. Hiring an experienced coach such as Cowboys DC Dan Quinn, who knows the division well from his Atlanta days, is a possibility as well.
Dan Quinn, huh?
Those Atlanta days, which lasted a little over five years, saw Quinn lead Carolina’s division rivals to an overall record of 43-42. The height of that tenure came in 2016, when the Falcons soared to an NFC title on their way to Super Bowl LI.
After being fired in the middle of the 2020 campaign, Quinn eventually landed on his feet as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. The 53-year-old has found quite a bit of success in the role, as he’s orchestrated one of the most dynamic defenses in the NFL for the past few seasons.
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