2023 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: September 2024

Steelers Add Aaron Curry To Staff

February 22nd, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Sam Robinson

Former top-five draftee Aaron Curry is moving up the ladder in the coaching ranks. After spending three seasons as a Seahawks assistant, he is joining the Steelers’ staff as a position coach.

The one-time No. 4 overall pick tweeted he will be Pittsburgh-bound, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes (via Twitter) the Steelers are hiring Curry as their inside linebackers coach. Longtime Steelers assistant Jerry Olsavsky will not be back for the 2023 season, Dulac tweets. The Steelers have since announced Curry’s hire.

Curry, 36, will arrive shortly after Brian Flores left to become the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores was not expected to stay long, with Mike Tomlin hiring the veteran staffer as his linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant after his surprise Miami exit. The Steelers will now turn the keys over to a younger staffer.

Although Curry’s NFL playing career did not pan out as expected, he is one of the highest-drafted off-ball linebackers in modern NFL history and has been coaching for nearly 10 years now. After spending five seasons at the University of Charlotte, Curry joined the Seahawks — the team that drafted him 14 years ago — as an assistant. He spent the past three years as a Seattle defensive staffer. This will be his first go-round being an NFL position coach.

The Steelers’ defensive staff will look at bit different in 2023. Assistant HC John Mitchell retired after 29 seasons with the organization, and Olsavsky is out after 22 years — as a player and coach — with the team. A former Steelers 10th-round pick who played nine seasons with the team (37 starts), Olsavsky had been on Tomlin’s staff for the past 13 seasons — eight as inside linebackers coach.

Chargers Interview DeMarcus Covington, Doug Belk For DC

February 22nd, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Sam Robinson

Following Renaldo Hill‘s exit for Miami, the Chargers are expected to promote defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley to defensive coordinator. But the team is either looking into more options or covering its bases.

The Bolts have interviewed Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington and University of Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk for the role, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Teams must interview at least one external minority candidate for coordinator positions to comply with the Rooney Rule.

It is unclear if the Chargers are set on Ansley, though the initial report of the two-year DBs coach being ticketed for the promotion points to that still being the team’s plan. Both Ansley, 41, and Covington have coached in the NFL for several seasons; Belk has been with Houston for the past four.

The Chargers will have two new coordinators in 2023. Following the team’s decision to fire OC Joe Lombardi and hire Kellen Moore, Hill left for a non-DC job on Vic Fangio‘s staff. Hill, who coached on Fangio’s Broncos staff from 2019-20, is now the Dolphins’ defensive pass-game coordinator.

This marks an interesting shakeup for a Bolts team that won 10 games in 2022. That said, the Chargers are coming off a 27-point playoff collapse in Jacksonville. The team is not believed to have strongly considered firing Brandon Staley, but the two-year HC’s seat temperature certainly increased because of the way his team’s season ended.

Belk, 35, has hovered off the NFL radar prior to this interview, and Houston is coming off a down defensive season. The American Athletic Conference team slid to 112th nationally in scoring defense (32.2 points allowed per game). Belk, who was the Cougars’ co-DC from 2019-20, did helm a top-20 scoring defense in 2021, however. Houston went 12-2 that year.

Covington, 33, interviewed for the Cardinals’ DC job recently and can be considered a candidate to monitor for future positions at the very least. He has been New England’s D-line coach for three seasons. The Patriots hired Covington out of the college ranks back in 2017. The Cardinals ended up going with Nick Rallis for their DC post; at 29, Rallis is currently the league’s youngest coordinator.

Latest On Giants’ Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley Negotiations

February 21st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The franchise tag window opened at 3pm CT today, and while it is unsurprising the Giants have not made a decision, Daniel Jones‘ recent actions could push the team down the path to one soon. Jones has changed agents, and his asking price may well prompt the Giants to tag him.

The $45MM-per-year number has been floated for the former first-round pick. That figure is higher than the Giants want to go; it might be significantly higher. The Giants hoped Jones’ asking price would come in below $40MM AAV, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post notes (video link).

Jones upped his value considerably this season, a statistically unspectacular campaign but an efficient one that brought improvement from his first three years. A woeful Vikings defense played a part, with Jones accounting for 368 and 379 yards in the Giants’ Week 17 and wild-card round games in Minnesota. Those marked Jones’ highest and second-highest yardage outputs this season; his all-around performance in the rematch led the Giants to their first postseason win in 11 years. The 25-year-old passer is now in strong position, and his recent actions point to him maximizing it.

Regarding negotiations, however, the Giants do not appear to be too far out of the starting blocks. Prior to Jones changing agents, the sides had not officially started talks, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes. Jones’ agent change merely delayed them, per Leonard, who adds this switch looks to have come about because of backchannel word ahead of the official talks. While the $45MM figure has circulated, it has not come up in official negotiations yet. Jones changing agencies does signal these discussions could bring some turbulence, but Leonard expects a deal to be finalized.

With no quarterback tied to a deal between $35MM and $40MM per annum, the latter number has become a line of demarcation of sorts. Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford are tied to $40MM-per-year pacts. Both have obviously proven more than Jones, though the cap’s growth puts the Duke product in a good spot. Going to $45MM would move Jones past Josh Allen ($43MM per year), even though guarantees provide a better indications of contracts’ value. But the $40MM price range would put Jones in interesting company. A deal between $35-$40MM has been the expected range for Jones for a bit.

After a historically turnover-prone rookie season, Jones submitted two inferior statistical years in 2020 and 2021 — the latter an injury-shortened slate. The Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime, then, did not pick up his $22.4MM fifth-year option in May 2022. Despite Jones throwing 15 touchdown passes during the 2022 regular season — nine down from his 13-game rookie year — he finished with the league’s lowest interception rate and piloted a playoff-qualifying season even as various developments depleted the Giants’ pass-catching corps. But Big Blue might be forced to further weaken its skill-position arsenal to keep Jones.

New York still wants to sign both Jones and Saquon Barkley to long-term deals, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. The tag is not expected to come out until close to the 3pm deadline on March 7. That is not uncommon; most tag business unfolds close to the March and July deadlines. But Jones will receive the tag if he is not signed by that point. That would put Barkley on track for free agency. The Giants tagging Barkley at $10.1MM would be far less constraining than cuffing Jones at $32.4MM. Big Blue would prefer this path, with a Jones extension producing a cap number low enough it would still allow for some free agency moves.

A Jones tag would not only limit the team’s options with outside free agents, it would cut into funds for a last-ditch Barkley deal. Following the tag deadline, the Giants would have six more days of exclusive Barkley negotiations; the legal tampering period begins March 13. However, the Combine will give the two-time Pro Bowl running back a good indication of what will be out there for him on the market. The team has offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood, and it is believed a $14MM-AAV pact could wrap these negotiations. Thus, signing Jones by March 7 will be the best way for the Giants to retain both their offensive cornerstones.

The Titans navigated a similar situation in 2020 by re-signing Ryan Tannehill just before free agency and tagging Derrick Henry, who signed an extension that summer. The next two weeks will be telling for the Giants in their effort to retain their quarterback and running back.

Packers Open To Aaron Rodgers Return?

February 21st, 2023 at 9:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

A rather explosive account regarding the Packers’ interest in Aaron Rodgers remaining their starter in 2023 surfaced over the weekend, and the future Hall of Fame quarterback has not yet informed his team about his intentions to play next season. But a path to stay in Green Bay may well remain viable.

The Packers would like to have Rodgers back, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com said during a Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link), as long as he is fully bought in. The caveat here could be scrutinized, based on the weekend report that indicated Rodgers was not fully bought in last year, but the star quarterback still having a route to being Green Bay’s starter is certainly interesting given his place atop the QB domino set this offseason.

GM Brian Gutekunst deferred to Rodgers’ four MVPs when asked if he believes the incumbent starter still gives the Packers the best chance to win. Gutekunst also said Jordan Love is ready to play. If Rodgers re-emerges from his darkness retreat and tells the Packers he wants out or informs the team he is retiring, Love will finally get the call to start. If Rodgers says he wants to stay, as he did last year, then it becomes complicated. The report from longtime Packers writer Bob McGinn indicated Gutekunst, team president Mark Murphy and HC Matt LaFleur are done with the increasingly outspoken passer.

Rodgers’ past of grudge-holding may well come into play regarding the Packers’ power structure potentially throwing out negative opinions about him, but he also mended fences with Murphy and Gutekunst after his 2021 trade request. Another Rodgers return would stand to further stall Love’s ascent. It should be expected, despite McGinn noting Rodgers returning would be as a Love backup, Rodgers would not be thrust into a quarterback competition if he opted to stay in Green Bay. But if the Packers are truly ready to turn the page, as they did when they transitioned from Brett Favre to Rodgers ahead of the latter’s fourth season back in 2008, it opens the door to Love starting and an odd trade sweepstakes commencing.

The Broncos were the team most closely tied to Rodgers since his trade request became public just before the 2021 draft, but Pelissero adds they would not have sent the Packers the haul they gave the Seahawks because of the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ future. While Russell Wilson underwhelmed to a concerning degree in 2022, the Broncos sent the Seahawks the two-first-rounder-fronted package because Wilson expressed no near-future retirement plans. Rodgers’ year-to-year setup will complicate interested teams’ trade proposals.

Interested teams will be less inclined to surrender significant assets if they are unsure Rodgers will play in 2024. Although he is signed through 2025, the 18-year veteran returning in 2023 would seem likely to precede him considering retirement next year as well.

The Jets continue to wait on Rodgers, who is their top choice, and the Raiders have been linked to Rodgers replacing Derek Carr. The ex-Raiders QB and the Jets have mutual interest, and unless the Rodgers trade derby officially takes off soon, the Jets may need to make a choice. Carr also has other suitors, the Saints among them, and Rodgers could have NFC teams pursuing him as well. The Packers would want to send Rodgers to the AFC, and his three-year, $150.8MM contract does not include a no-trade clause. But Rodgers can effectively tell the Packers he will retire unless they send him to his preferred team, putting the NFC — should the QB identify a team he wants to play for in that conference — back in play.

Rodgers’ contract calls for a $58.3MM 2023 guarantee. That can be paid at any point before the season, though the 39-year-old quarterback would need to agree to a reworked contract to facilitate a trade. Presently, the Packers would be tagged with $40MM-plus in dead money if they dealt Rodgers before June 1. This set of moving parts clouds the quarterback market, but a resolution is expected to come soon.

Brock Purdy Plans To Undergo UCL Surgery

February 21st, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 21: The surgery will not happen Wednesday, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com noting a slight complication will lead to a postponement. Inflammation in Purdy’s elbow prompted Meister to table the operation to early March (Twitter link). Purdy still could undergo a more invasive procedure, but Pelissero notes the plan remains for him to be ready by Week 1. Given the recovery timetable here, any delay would cut that pretty close.

FEBRUARY 9: Purdy clarified he is not out of the woods regarding a reconstructive procedure. The 49ers quarterback said Thursday that Meister may determine mid-surgery elbow reconstruction — or Tommy John surgery — is necessary.

“He’s done this year after year with the best of the best with MLB pitchers. So he’s definitely seen this kind of thing happen, and he’s going to make the best call, and not just for the heck of it,” Purdy said during a KNBR interview (via 49ersWebZone.com). “It’s obviously for the best call for my career moving forward. And he knows what’s best, and he’s going to make the best decision for us, so it’ll be good.”

Should Purdy only need the internal brace procedure, he said three months will be the goal for a throwing program to begin. While six months remains the goal, a more invasive surgery would almost definitely threaten his availability for the start of the 2023 season.

FEBRUARY 8: After considering options, Brock Purdy is likely to undergo surgery to repair his injured elbow soon. The 49ers quarterback is expected to go under the knife in two weeks.

Purdy will meet with a Dallas-based doctor on Feb. 21, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who notes (via Twitter) the rookie sensation is on track to undergo UCL surgery on Feb. 22. It does not appear Tommy John surgery is on tap. Purdy is expected to recover in advance of training camp, Rapoport adds.

This stands to mean the previously rumored internal brace surgery will be the seventh-round pick’s course of action. If that is the case, Purdy could be ready to throw in a few months. A Tommy John procedure would knock him out for much longer, though it would not sideline Purdy as long as it does MLB pitchers. Dr. Keith Meister, the Texas Rangers’ team doctor, is on track to perform the surgery.

Purdy, however, might not be full go until the end of the preseason. He and the 49ers discussed a six-month recovery timetable, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets. With the surgery coming in two weeks, following that timeline extends to the close of the August slate. That will be cutting it pretty close for Purdy’s regular-season availability. Though, a more accurate timetable will come to light after the operation.

Purdy’s UCL tear harpooned the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes early in the NFC championship game, and his upcoming absence will cloud the team’s 2023 QB situation. Trey Lance, however, expects to be 100% by OTAs in April. The former No. 3 overall pick would be in position to accumulate valuable reps while Purdy recovers, but if last year’s No. 262 overall selection is healthy, the 49ers are not believed to view this as a quarterback controversy-in-waiting. Purdy is expected to be the team’s 2023 starter.

Then again, Jimmy Garoppolo‘s 2022 shows the trouble with early predictions for 49ers quarterback situations. Garoppolo went from the 49ers’ unquestioned starter to a player they openly tried to trade to Lance insurance to being needed for another QB1 run. Another 49ers-Garoppolo deal became a possibility, but the veteran’s broken foot — leading to Purdy’s rapid emergence — scuttled that path. Kyle Shanahan said he does not expect the team to revisit another Garoppolo deal. That will leave Purdy and Lance for 2023. If Lance — San Francisco’s Week 1 starter this past season — loses the job to a former lowly regarded prospect, trade rumors will certainly come up.

The 49ers are not planning to pursue a veteran backup option, which would leave the loser of a Purdy-Lance competition as the 2023 backup. Considering the injuries both players suffered, the NFC West champions having both back to start training camp would represent a fortunate development after this malady-defined QB season.

Panthers’ Jim Caldwell No Longer Planning To Pursue HC Jobs

February 21st, 2023 at 8:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders reached out to Jim Caldwell about their offensive coordinator position, but the former Colts and Lions head coach told the team he was only looking for HC opportunities. This year’s coaching cycle has prompted the former AFC champion HC to close that path.

A fixture on coaching carousels since his Lions firing, Caldwell took a job on Frank Reich‘s Panthers staff. The two former Colts HCs reunited on a staff that includes Ejiro Evero, Dom Capers, Josh McCown and Thomas Brown. Caldwell, 68, is with Carolina as a senior offensive assistant; this marks his first NFL gig since a Dolphins quarterbacks coach role in 2019. He might be sticking around in Charlotte for a bit.

“Right now, the only job that I’m concerned about is the job I do here, right here and now,” Caldwell said, via ESPN.com’s David Newton. “I’m not worried about the future or anything else. I don’t plan on being a head coach from this point forward.

“When I didn’t get a head-coaching job, I immediately sort of changed the plan in terms of what I was looking for next. I knew I was at the stage where I wanted to be back in the building somewhere. And so, I did have some opportunities to kind of look at, and I was happy when Frank called.”

Then-Lions GM Bob Quinn fired Caldwell after he went 9-7 in 2018. The team has not bettered that record since. Caldwell then interviewed for nine HC jobs over the next four-plus years. The two-time HC met with the Packers, Browns, Jets, Cardinals, Texans, Jaguars, Bears, Broncos and Panthers from December 2018 until January of this year. The Denver and Carolina meetings occurred this year, and while Caldwell was not a finalist for the Panthers position, Reich sought him out for a role alongside he and Brown.

Caldwell is 62-50 as a head coach. His Colts record in games with Peyton Manning (24-8, two of the losses coming after the QB was pulled for rest purposes) and without (2-14) is notable, and Indianapolis’ two-win 2011 led to his ouster. Caldwell, however, accounted himself well in Detroit, guiding the Lions to two playoff berths and three winning seasons in four years. Caldwell is the only head coach over the past 50 years to leave the franchise with a winning record. He also took over as Ravens offensive coordinator late in the 2012 season, one that produced the signature stretch of Joe Flacco‘s career and ended with the team celebrating its second Super Bowl title.

The Panthers’ staff has a combined 191 years’ experience coaching in the NFL, Newton notes, and it holds 10 Super Bowl rings in total. An assistant under Tony Dungy before taking the Colts’ HC job in 2009, Caldwell has two of those.

Commanders Likely To Use Franchise Tag On DT Daron Payne

February 21st, 2023 at 7:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders prioritized a Terry McLaurin deal over Daron Payne‘s last year, but after the latter put together a strong contract slate, it does not look like he will be allowed to hit free agency.

Washington has two weeks to use its franchise tag, but the team is very likely to apply it to Payne. The Commanders are “99.9% likely” to cuff Payne with the tag, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The defensive tackle tag is one of the most expensive; this transaction would cost Washington $18.94MM. Only the quarterback, linebacker and defensive end tags are costlier.

Given the team’s talks with Payne ahead of the tag window opening, the sixth-year defensive tackle not being permitted to test the market appeared the likely outcome. Applying the tag would give the Commanders until July 15 to extend Payne. Absent an extension by that date (or Payne sitting out the season, an extreme measure that Washington D-lineman Sean Gilbert once pulled), the former first-round pick must play the 2023 season on the tag. Once Payne signs the franchise tender, that $18.94MM is locked in.

Ron Rivera confirmed Payne was a priority. After the season Payne put together, that certainly tracks. Payne, 25, broke through to lead the Commanders in sacks, totaling 11.5 — 3.5 more than anyone else on the team — and compiling 18 quarterback hits and 20 tackles for loss. Payne also recorded a safety last season; his sack total more than doubled any of his previous four seasons’ numbers. This gave the Alabama alum a bouncy springboard into free agency. If the Commanders do not follow through with a tag, Payne would be one of the best players available.

Washington already took care of Jonathan Allen, giving its 2017 first-round pick a four-year, $72MM extension back in 2021. Rostering two defensive tackles in that price range would stand out. Only two other teams — the Bengals and Colts — have two D-tackles earning north of $10MM per year on long-term deals. Then again, one of the Commanders’ rivals will face a similar decision soon. The Giants have Dexter Lawrence going into a contract year, set to command a deal north of Leonard Williams‘. The ex-Jet draftee’s $21MM-per-year pact is tied for second behind Aaron Donald‘s outlier $31.7MM-AAV extension. Lawrence’s camp will surely be monitoring how the Commanders handle Payne.

Cap space will need to be cleared in order for the Commanders to tag Payne; they currently hold just more than $8MM. The team can clear $26.2MM by releasing Carson Wentz. Considering the team’s Sam Howell starter push, that seems a near-certainty to occur soon. Washington is also not planning to devote many additional funds to its QB spot. The team does, however, have Montez Sweat and Chase Young eligible for extensions. Sweat will likely come first, given Young’s injury history and the fifth-year option allowing Washington to control the former Defensive Rookie of the Year through 2024. Sweat’s fifth-year option will cost $11.5MM this year.

Even with a rookie-QB pact on the payroll, it will be interesting to see how far the Commanders will go to fortify their longstanding D-line quartet. The team also used a second-round pick on D-tackle Phidarian Mathis last year. After Mathis’ Week 1 injury, however, Payne set himself up for a big payday.

Evan Engram Wants To Stay With Jaguars

February 21st, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last month, Jaguars GM Trent Baalke expressed interest in the team re-signing Evan Engram. The former first-round pick confirmed he is also onboard with staying in Jacksonville, offering a firmer stance compared to his December 2022 view.

The former five-year Giants starter put himself in better position to cash in this year, setting a Jaguars single-season tight end record with 766 receiving yards. While Engram is going into his age-29 season, he could be the market’s top tight end. Although he will be in a good spot if he hits free agency, the Ole Miss product wants to stay where he is.

“Hopefully something gets done; it’s mutual,” Engram said (during a Sirius XM Radio interview; audio link) of the interest in him returning to the Jaguars. “We haven’t had too many conversations yet, but the interest is there on both sides for me to come back, and obviously I would love to come back as well.”

After toiling on flawed Giants teams during his first half-decade in the NFL, Engram became a key component in the Jags’ late-season surge to the divisional round. The franchise had not seen ideal returns on recent investments at the position, from Julius Thomas to Josh Oliver to Tyler Eifert. Engram provided a different impact, topping Kyle Brady‘s 22-year-old Jags tight end single-season standard. Engram also surpassed his own career yardage best — set during his 2017 rookie year — and added a seven-catch, 93-yard outing in the Jags’ 27-point wild-card comeback.

The Jags gave Engram a one-year, $9MM deal in March 2022, and while that is decent “prove it” money, Engram will be targeting more on his second Jacksonville accord. The Jags’ interest and the tight end franchise tag checking in as the third-cheapest this year could also point to Engram not reaching free agency.

It does not sound like he would begrudge the Jaguars for proceeding down that path. Three teams — the Browns, Cowboys and Dolphins — tagged tight ends last year; David Njoku was the only one to sign an extension before the July deadline.

“I felt like I put a lot of great things on film; I had a lot of great results this year. I was a big part of helping my team win,” Engram said. “When you do that at the pass-catching position, those guys get taken care of financially. That’s something that’s been a big goal of mine my entire career.

“If [the tag] happens, I think that’ll be a placeholder to get something done. If that does happen, I’ll be blessed either way. We’ll figure something out long-term that both sides will be happy with.”

The tight end tag will cost teams $11.36MM this year. The Jags may well have Engram positioned as their top free agent. While four-year right tackle starter Jawaan Taylor wants to stay as well, the team already has left tackle Cam Robinson signed to a top-10 deal at his position and Brandon Scherff attached to a top-level guard pact. The team also, however, already has three wide receivers signed to notable contracts. Christian Kirk is set to count $23MM toward Jacksonville’s 2023 cap; Zay Jones is at $10.6MM. Calvin Ridley‘s potential reinstatement will lead to him counting $10.9MM against the cap, via his fifth-year option. But Engram’s deal could be backloaded to complement the receivers’ numbers. Should Engram be retained, he would round out a promising pass-catching corps for Trevor Lawrence‘s third season.

Seahawks Re-Sign G Phil Haynes

February 21st, 2023 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks will retain one of their backup offensive linemen. They are keeping Phil Haynes off the market, announcing a new deal for the veteran guard Tuesday.

Haynes was on track to become an unrestricted free agent next month. Instead, he is now signed through the 2023 season. It will be interesting to see what terms emerge here, with Haynes having played extensively during his contract year.

The Seahawks still have starter Gabe Jackson under contract; he remains tied to the three-year, $22.6MM deal he signed following his 2021 trade to Seattle. But cap-casualty rumors have encircled the longtime starter.

A Seahawks fourth-round pick in 2019, Haynes started three games last season and played 485 offensive snaps. Haynes and Jackson regularly rotated at right guard. Jackson has still started 31 of a possible 34 games during his Seattle tenure, but he is going into an age-32 season. The Seahawks can save $6.5MM by releasing the former Raiders cog.

Shortly after Seattle’s season ended, Pete Carroll praised Haynes and said the Wake Forest alum “could be a real factor” for the team going forward. Haynes has come a long way. Although he now has five career starts, he played just one offensive snap from 2019-20. Pro Football Focus rated both Haynes and Jackson outside its top 50 at guard last season, slotting Haynes 56th and Jackson 60th. Both checked in well behind left guard Damien Lewis (11th).

Even if Jackson remains in the fold, Haynes should be expected to have a shot to compete for the position opposite Lewis, who has two years left on his rookie deal.

Frank Reich To Call Panthers’ Plays

February 21st, 2023 at 3:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Frank Reich has both been a non-play-calling OC and a play-calling head coach. After indicating he was not certain to run the Panthers’ offense upon being hired, the second-chance HC confirmed he will do so Tuesday.

Carolina’s new coach said he would be the team’s play-caller to start the season, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (on Twitter), though he stopped short of saying he planned to keep this responsibility throughout his tenure.

“I’ve laughed with Thomas about that already. I said: ‘I’m gonna pass it off at some point. I don’t know when,’” Reich said. “And I think there will be a time and a place. I think it’ll become apparent when that is. But I think the right thing for me to do for our team and for our offense right now is for me to continue to use my experience there.”

Reich calling plays in Charlotte makes sense. He held this role throughout his five-season Indianapolis tenure, and his path to the Carolina gig centered on offensive knowhow. The Panthers wanted an experienced, offense-oriented HC; that allowed Reich to beat out Steve Wilks for the job. Had Reich immediately ventured into CEO territory, it would threaten to lessen his impact on his new team.

Reich held non-play-calling OC roles in Philadelphia and San Diego ahead of his Indianapolis stay — one that produced top-10 scoring offenses in 2018, ’20 and ’21. The Colts’ offense regressed considerably last season, and Reich was out of the picture by the midway point. But his overseeing top-10 offenses in two post-Andrew Luck seasons is certainly impressive, given the instability that late-summer retirement created for the Colts.

New Panthers OC Thomas Brown waits next in line to assume this responsibility, and Reich certainly made it sound like that could happen. Brown spent the past three seasons on Sean McVay‘s staff, coaching tight ends and running backs. Brown, 36, is viewed as a rising talent in the coaching ranks, and he spent three years as the University of Miami’s OC in the late 2010s. Taking the reins in Carolina would accelerate his path toward a head coaching job.

Additionally, the Panthers will use a 3-4 scheme under new DC Ejiro Evero, per ESPN.com’s David Newton (on Twitter). The former Broncos DC utilized this alignment — in base sets, at least — during his strong Denver debut. Reich also credited David Tepper (via Person) for backing up his words on spending to fill out the coaching staff. Evero interviewed for all five HC jobs, while Brown drew HC interest from the Texans and interviewed for multiple OC roles elsewhere. The Panthers have also hired Jim Caldwell, Dom Capers and Josh McCown, creating an interesting assistant roster for Reich.

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