In concluding their meeting with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the Carolina Panthers finally wrapped up their first round of head coaching interviews on Tuesday. And now, with the team announcing a second serving of talks, that caps their list of candidates off at nine men . . . unless San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans reenters the chat.
Regardless, let’s dwindle down our preferences before the Panthers decide to. Here are our top four candidates for the job.
4
Ejiro Evero
Perhaps one of the more underrated coaches amongst the current group of interviewees—Evero has a small, but impressive résumé from a coaching tree that any team would be lucky to pluck from. Coming from the Sean McVay system in an offensive capacity while also proving to be one of the league’s top defensive minds in Denver, the 42-year-old could have a leg up on most candidates.
Passing on Evero could prove costly to teams in the future, as he may ultimately become the best coach out of anyone in this cycle.
3
Frank Reich
An experienced and respected leader, Reich would be a big boon to Carolina’s offensive woes should he be hired. Reich has consistently fielded a top offense regardless of who he’s had under center—and while it would be nice to have a top quarterback, knowing you would be stable without one brings a level of comfort on both sides of the ball.
Given Carolina’s already elite defensive talent, adding an expert offensive play caller and tried head coach could be just what they need to push them over that hump and into the playoffs.
2
Steve Wilks
What can be said about Steve Wilks that has not already been stated?
He took over a lifeless 1-4 team from Matt Rhule and turned them into a disciplined playoff contender. He clearly proved he is a defensive whiz, and consistently made adjustments each game—growing as a coach and passing that wisdom onto his staff.
Wilks already has the respect of the locker room, is a North Carolina native, and has showed he can lead this team to success.
1
Shane Steichen
It was put out early on that owner David Tepper was looking for an offensive guru—and that’s been quite apparent throughout the process. And now, the one who sticks out (by a wide margin) is current Eagle’s offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
The 37-year-old pieced together an incredibly impressive 2022, one headlined by the MVP-worthy campaign of quarterback Jalen Hurts. He’s even added a dominant playoff performance from this past weekend, where the Eagles thumped the New York Giants by 31 points.
Steichen now has a history in developing passers, as proven by the rookie campaign of Justin Herbert along with the aforementioned Hurts—who has seen a rocket-level ascension this past year. His creativity and quarterback expertise make him the perfect candidate to lead the Panthers into an offensive revolution and back into serious contention.
