2. Carolina Panthers

Owner David Tepper fired Ron Rivera in early December and continues to distance himself from the franchise’s past with former owner Jerry Richardson. He’ll go outside on this hire and he needs to get it right. Indications are that Tepper will go with a coach with an offensive background, which would be a first in franchise history. General manager Marty Hurney’s job appears safe and that’s a plus for any new coach. Hurney is level headed and not on a power trip. He believes in sharing power with the coach. The big question with this job is the future of quarterback Cam Newton. He was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2015, but has been injured most of the last couple years. He also could be expendable because of the salary cap. If Newton is healthy and stays, the new coach will land in a great situation. If Newton is gone or not healthy, the new coach will face a major rebuilding project.