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Carolina Panthers News & Rumors

Panthers Request OC Interview With Eagles’ Marcus Brady

January 26th, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

It was already thought to be the case as he interviews for other head coaching and offensive coordinator positions, but it seems Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is officially not expected to return to Carolina in his previous role. There’s a chance that Brown is a candidate and wins over new head coach Dave Canales, but for now, the team will move on with interviewing new candidates, starting with a request to interview Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Since the focus in Carolina has been bringing in a new head coach, Brady is actually the team’s first offensive coordinator interview since their season ended. In 2023, former head coach Frank Reich called plays for most of the season for the Panthers offense, ceding play calling duties for a short time to Brown before eventually losing his job. Now, with the offensive-minded Canales in the house, a changing of the guard is expected in Carolina.

Brady’s name picked up traction in the Canadian Football League. Shortly after his seven-year playing career ended as a CFL quarterback, Brady jumped to the coaching side of football, accepting a wide receivers coaching job with the team he ended his playing career with, the Montreal Alouettes. Eventually, Brady would get a promotion to become Montreal’s offensive coordinator, leaving a year later to accept the same position with the Toronto Argonauts.

After six years of calling plays in the CFL, Brady finally made the jump to the NFL in 2018 when he accepted the assistant quarterbacks coaching job under Reich in Indianapolis. A year later, Brady was promoted to quarterbacks coach and became the heir apparent behind then-offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. When Sirianni departed to coach the Eagles, Brady was, naturally, promoted to fill his shoes in 2021. Halfway through the 2022 season, though, Brady was fired by a 3-4-1, turnover-prone Colts team. Brady called up his old buddy Sirianni in Philadelphia and was hired as an offensive consultant for the Eagles three weeks later, before getting promoted to his current position in 2023.

Brady’s name has been thrown around a couple different times in the past two years for offensive coordinator jobs. Last year saw Brady interview for the Rams and Jets open coordinator jobs. So far this year, he was requested to interview for the open offensive coordinator job in Chicago before it was awarded to Shane Waldron from Seattle.

With the job in Carolina now openly being advertised, Brady enters as the Panthers’ first potential candidate to serve as offensive coordinator under Canales. Canales is expected to call plays for the Panthers offensive after having done so in Tampa Bay last year, so it will be interesting to see exactly what the team is looking for in a new offensive coordinator under the first-time head coach. Brady is our first clue to figuring that out.

Panthers Will Not Retain Interim HC Chris Tabor, OL Coach James Campen

January 26th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two of the Panthers’ three coordinators do not appear in the team’s plans. One officially will depart, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting the team is moving on from special teams coordinator-turned-interim HC Chris Tabor.

This will end Tabor’s two-year tenure with the team. A Matt Rhule hire in 2022, Tabor had two years remaining on his contract. The Panthers had also blocked him from interviewing for the Giants’ ST job. The New York position has been filled, but Tabor offers extensive experience on NFL special teams staffs.

David Tepper made keeping Tabor a priority last year, with both he and then-GM Scott Fitterer instructing HC hires to keep the ST boss on staff. Frank Reich did, and Tabor finished his second Carolina season as the team’s interim leader. Although Tabor interviewed for the team’s HC position, he was never viewed as a serious candidate for the job.

Still, it looked like Tabor had a chance to stay in his ST coordinator role under a third coach. Dave Canales will evidently not do so. Tabor, 52, has been in the NFL since the 2008 season. He has only coached with three teams in that span, seeing multiple teams keep him despite changing coaches. Hired during Pat Shurmur‘s run as Browns HC in 2011, Tabor stayed on in that role through the Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine and Hue Jackson tenures. The Bears have employed Tabor twice, the second time (2018-21) as ST coordinator.

Tabor went 1-5 as interim Panthers HC. The team is also not expected to retain OC Thomas Brown, who has already interviewed for two OC jobs (Steelers, Patriots). DC Ejiro Evero has been frequently mentioned as a candidate to stick around, but the Panthers look to have changed course with Tabor. If they backtrack on Evero, the defensive coach will likely end up a coordinator elsewhere. Evero remains in contention to become the Seahawks’ HC as well.

Additionally, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes offensive line coach James Campen will be allowed to look elsewhere for a job. Tepper and Fitterer also prioritized keeping Campen last year. Campen, 59, has been an NFL assistant since 2004. The veteran O-line coach has spent the past two seasons with the Panthers.

Ejiro Evero In Play For Rams’ DC Job; Team Requests Meeting With Aden Durde

January 26th, 2024 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the fifth time in Sean McVay‘s seven-year tenure, the Rams have seen one of their assistants become a head coach. Raheem Morris is the latest to make the jump, being hired by the Falcons. The Rams are now determining how they will replace him.

They have two familiar names in the mix. In addition to McVay considering a Brandon Staley reunion, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicates Ejiro Evero will be a strong candidate for the position. Though, the matter of the Panthers letting Evero out of his contract looms.

Evero, a Rams assistant from 2017-21, has seen his profile skyrocket despite being the defensive coordinator for two losing teams. After a stay on the 5-12 Broncos in 2022, Evero interviewed for every available HC job last year and subsequently became an in-demand coordinator candidate. The Panthers’ 2-15 record did not impede Evero, either, as HC interviews have followed.

Evero, 43, cannot devote full focus to a coordinator future just yet. Although the Panthers and Falcons hired other candidates over him, the rising staffer has a second Seahawks interview on tap for Saturday. Evero, who was born in England, served as the Rams’ safeties coach from 2017-20 before being elevated to DBs coach prior to the team’s Super Bowl-winning season.

While the chance of Evero being a coordinator for three teams in three years looms, the Panthers have previously shown interest in retaining him. Prior to hiring Dave Canales, Carolina blocked a Jacksonville request to meet with Evero about its DC job. It is unclear if Canales will retain Evero, but with Dan Morgan rising up the chain to the GM spot, it would not surprise if the organization stuck to its guns and kept Evero as DC despite hiring a new coach.

Additionally, at least one candidate without a past with McVay has surfaced. The Rams sent Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde a request to meet about the position, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde has been on the Cowboys’ staff for the past three years, following Dan Quinn over from Atlanta. Durde, who is English, helped develop players in the U.K. as part of the NFL’s international pathway program prior to joining the Falcons midway through Quinn’s tenure.

Patriots Interview Thomas Brown For OC, To Meet With Lions’ Tanner Engstrand

January 26th, 2024 at 2:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Dave Canales taking over as Panthers HC, Thomas Brown‘s stint with the team can be labeled a one-and-done. Carolina’s most recent play-caller continues to draw interest for other coordinator posts, however.

Brown met with the Patriots about their OC vacancy, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. Working to replace Bill O’Brien as their play-caller, the Pats are also targeting the increasingly popular Lions coaching staff. They are planning to interview Detroit pass-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand for the position, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This will be Engstrand’s first coordinator interview.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Although Brown is still under contract with the Panthers, it would surprise if the team did not release the former Rams assistant from that deal. Brown, whose Carolina tenure included a 2-15 record and some behind-the-scenes unrest, finished the season as the Panthers’ play-caller. But Frank Reich also took back play-calling reins after initially giving them to Brown. The Panthers’ attempt to blend Reich concepts with Sean McVay‘s system backfired, and the team is starting over under Canalas, who signed a six-year deal.

The Steelers have also met with Brown, whose stock could be elevated as a former McVay staffer due to Zac Robinson — a hot name on the OC carousel early — being closely linked to the now-open Falcons OC job. The Los Angeles-based QBs coach has been connected to following Raheem Morris to Atlanta. This would take a third name out of the mix for the Patriots, who have seen targets Dan Pitcher and Shane Waldron hired elsewhere. The Pats are looking for their fourth OC in four seasons, with position lacking stability following Josh McDaniels‘ exit.

Dan Campbell retained Engstrand, 41, from the Matt Patricia staff, though this is his first season as the team’s pass-game coordinator. The 2020 Detroit hire coached the team’s tight ends from 2020-22. Engstrand joins OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn as staffers in play to leave the Motor City due to the success Campbell’s team has achieved in his third season.

Panthers Hire Dave Canales As HC

January 25th, 2024 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dave Canales‘ one-year run in Tampa Bay has earned him another offseason move, this time to lead a coaching staff. The Panthers are nearing a deal to hire the Buccaneers OC as their new head coach, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The deal is now official. The Panthers announced they’ve agreed to terms with their division rival’s offensive coordinator. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Canales will be on a six-year deal, dedicating a lot of money to the contract of their newest head coach. It’s a long-term commitment that has the potential to pay off for both parties if Canales thrives in his first head coaching role.

A report from earlier this week noted that Canales drew rave reviews from the Panthers’ front office during his first interview. A follow-up meeting was in place, and it has obviously gone well. Carolina was long connected to pursuing a coach with an offensive background, and the team has indeed followed through in that regard.

Still, the move comes as a surprise given Canales’ lack of experience relative to a number of other candidates. The 42-year-old’s time with the Buccaneers in 2023 marked his first time as a coordinator at the NFL level. He came to Tampa Bay after a lengthy tenure in Seattle, during which he overlapped with Dan Morgan. The latter was promoted to general manager earlier this week.

Canales wore a number of hats with the Seahawks, working with the team from 2010-22. He worked with the team’s quarterbacks for much of his time in the Emerald City, and his ability to turn Geno Smith into a Comeback Player of the Year with a career-best performance in 2022 upped his stock considerably. Taking on the Tampa OC posting, he set himself up for another reclamation project of sorts with Baker Mayfield.

The former No. 1 pick outperformed expectations under Canales’ guidance, throwing a career-high 28 touchdown passes and posting a 94.6 passer rating, the second-highest mark of his career. Mayfield is therefore a candidate for a long-term Bucs agreement. If that materializes, however, Canales will not be in place to continue working with him, instead turning his attention to a division rival.

Carolina was interested in Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson during last year’s hiring cycle, and that remained the case in 2024. Johnson – who has received considerable interest from a number of other teams – was reported to be the Panthers’ top target. Johnson’s future remains uncertain as Detroit prepares for the NFC title game this weekend, but another potential landing spot for him has now been eliminated.

Of course, a central reason in the Panthers’ continued pursuit of Johnson was his work with Lions QB Jared Goff. Developing 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young will be the top priority for Canales after he endured a disappointing rookie campaign. Young’s struggles were not entirely of his own doing, but signficant strides will be required to justify Carolina’s acquisition of the No. 1 slot last spring. Major changes along the O-line and in the skill-position room should also be expected, and those can now happen with a new GM and head coach in place.

In the wake of Canales drawing serious interest from the Panthers, it was learned that Buccaneers QBs coach Thad Lewis was a prime candidate to take over as Tampa Bay’s OC. With the former having agreed to Carolina’s HC gig, it will be interesting to see if the latter does get tapped for the promotion. If not, the reigning NFC South winners will need to join the competition for outside additions at the coordinator spots.

Frank Reich entered last season with signficant expectations given his track record and the staff he assembled. Only 11 games into the campaign, however, Reich was let go, a sign of the reputation for impatience that owner David Tepper has generated in recent years in particular. Tepper’s personal involvement in a number of key personnel and roster decisions has also led many to assume top HC candidates would steer clear of Carolina. The team has nonetheless managed to find its next coach earlier than a number of others.

Once the Canales deal becomes official, the 2024 cycle will have seen five hires made. The Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders still have vacancies on their staffs, and their searches will now continue with one fewer candidate on the market.

Steelers Interview Panthers’ Thomas Brown For OC Post

January 24th, 2024 at 4:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers’ effort to add their next offensive coordinator is underway. First up will be a recent OC who no longer appears in his team’s plans; Thomas Brown is interviewing for the job Wednesday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Brown, who has received HC interview requests in each of the past two offseasons, worked as the Panthers’ OC this season. The former Rams assistant enjoyed two stints as Carolina’s play-caller, but it does not appear the NFC South club is interested in keeping him around under a new head coach.

Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson joins Brown as a candidate for the Pittsburgh OC job. The Steelers have promoted from within to fill in 2018 (Randy Fichtner) and 2021 (Matt Canada). After going with a two-OC system of sorts, with Eddie Faulkner nabbing the title and Mike Sullivan the play-calling role, Mike Tomlin pointed to seeking an outside voice with this hire. The team has not hired an OC from outside the organization since the Todd Haley addition in 2012. Haley is also the only Steelers OC hired from outside the organization this century, adding more intrigue to the team’s current search.

Both Robinson and Brown come from the Sean McVay coaching tree. McVay’s staff has become a launching pad for a number of HCs and coordinators. This could be the year Robinson makes the jump, with the Matthew Stafford position coach in contention for a few jobs. Brown, 37, worked with the Rams from 2020-22, coaching running backs and tight ends after a run in the college ranks.

The Panthers attempting to incorporate elements from McVay’s scheme and Frank Reich‘s was among the reasons behind the team’s 2-15 season. Reich had mentioned Brown as a play-calling candidate early last year, but after giving him the reins, the veteran HC reclaimed them three weeks later. The Panthers fired Reich 11 games in, leaving Brown back in the play-calling role. Bryce Young finished the season ahead of only Zach Wilson in QBR, as the Panthers ranked 31st in offensive DVOA.

Brown also interviewed for the Bears’ job that went to fellow ex-Rams staffer Shane Waldron. It should be expected more teams, as the HC-needy clubs fill out their staffs, will want to interview the young assistant for OC positions.

Panthers Planning Mike Vrabel HC Interview

January 24th, 2024 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Interested in an offensive coach for a second straight year, the Panthers are at least open to adjusting their search. With Mike Vrabel now available, the NFC South club is doing that.

Vrabel will meet with a third team about a head coaching vacancy, with ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington reporting the Panthers will bring him in for a Thursday summit. This will occur following Vrabel’s meeting at Arthur Blank‘s home today. The Chargers interviewed Vrabel recently as well.

This would be an interesting fit for Vrabel, given his defensive background and the recent developments that led him out of Nashville. Vrabel clashed with ownership during his final year with the Titans, asking for full roster control and questioning Amy Adams Strunk‘s GM hire. The Titans had been connected to attempting to trade Vrabel’s rights, but they instead fired him. Vrabel is a well-regarded HC, however, had signed an extension following a 2021 season in which the Titans earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

The styles of Vrabel and David Tepper would seem to be quite something if paired together. Tepper is believed to be a hands-on owner, one whose reputation has taken a number of hits since he bought the Panthers in 2018. Most recently, the owner received a $300K fine for throwing a drink at a Jaguars fan. Tepper fired Frank Reich after 11 games, doing so after being widely rumored to have led the charge draft Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud last April. The Panthers finished 2-15 and do not have their first-round pick, having dealt it to the Bears.

Vrabel, 48, is the highest-profile coach remaining in the Panthers’ search. With Jim Harbaugh potentially closing in on taking over in Los Angeles, Vrabel may be down to Atlanta, Carolina or Seattle as options. While the Seahawks have not interviewed Vrabel yet, they are believed to be interested. Bill Belichick and several others loom for the Falcons’ opening.

The Panthers have brought in or scheduled second interviews with DC Ejiro Evero, Buccaneers OC Dave Canales and Rams DC Raheem Morris. While other targets met virtually with the Panthers, these are the only candidates to be on the second-interview radar as of Wednesday.

Falcons Give Ejiro Evero Second HC Interview, Meeting With Mike Vrabel

January 24th, 2024 at 1:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

As a Falcons-Jim Harbaugh partnership hit a notable snag today, the team is still going about its HC search. Ejiro Evero went through a second interview with the team Wednesday.

In addition to the Evero meeting, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes Mike Vrabel‘s rumored summit is scheduled for today. Word of the Vrabel Atlanta meeting surfaced just as the second Harbaugh interview did, but the former might be more attainable by comparison considering recent developments. This is Vrabel’s first interview for the Falcons’ job; the six-year Titans coach is in Atlanta for the meeting.

Harbaugh has been in serious talks with the Chargers about becoming their next head coach. This has led to Harbaugh’s second Falcons meeting — scheduled for today — being nixed. The sides have not shut down the prospect of rescheduling, but the Michigan HC calling off a scheduled interview does point to the Bolts buzz being legitimate.

Pelissero, however, indicates the Harbaugh meeting is now scheduled for Thursday. Though, that interview is being classified as tentatively slated to occur. Indeed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds Harbaugh’s Falcons meeting could occur later this week if he decides to go through with it. Harbaugh is believed to have an agreement on his Chargers HC salary, though other matters are still being worked out. Even if that hire is imminent, the Falcons are conducting a widespread search.

The Falcons have interviewed 14 candidates, and although Bill Belichick was the first of those to meet with team brass twice, the longtime Patriots icon’s momentum for this job appears to have slowed. Others are being given second interviews, potentially reopening the race.

Evero is part of that contingent, with the Panthers’ defensive coordinator still possessing momentum despite a 2-15 Carolina season. Evero has managed to place himself as a fixture on two HC carousels despite both his past two teams — the Broncos and Panthers — struggling. Evero still elevated his candidacy considerably by keeping Denver’s 2022 defense afloat. Evero’s Carolina defense ranked 29th in points allowed but fourth in yardage, though DVOA slotted the Panthers’ defense 25th.

Evero is far from the only non-Belichick candidate to meet about this job twice. Connected to a wide-ranging search to replace Arthur Smith, the Falcons have now reached out to several options about second meetings. Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how this process stands Wednesday afternoon:

Dave Canales Drawing Strong Interest For Panthers’ HC Job; Bucs To Consider Promoting Thad Lewis

January 23rd, 2024 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers and Commanders have each been linked to placing Ben Johnson as their top HC candidate. Considering Carolina’s situation and David Tepper‘s recent actions, the team would seemingly need to extend a big payout to win a tiebreaker. In the event Johnson again spurns Carolina, the team looks to have another offensive staffer in mind.

Long connected to once again seeking an offense-oriented head coach, the Panthers have been impressed with Buccaneers OC Dave Canales, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who indicates he is a serious contender to become the next Panthers HC. Canales is set for a second interview for the Carolina job.

The NFC’s second divisional-round matchup pitted two ascending OCs against one another, and while Johnson’s Lions won, Baker Mayfield‘s bounce-back season undeniably helped Canales’ stock. Canales was the Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach in 2022, overseeing Geno Smith‘s shocking resurgence that secured him Comeback Player of the Year honors. Mayfield subsequently completed a turnaround season in Tampa, rising from last in QBR in 2022 to moving the Bucs — their substantial 2023 dead money notwithstanding — to the divisional round.

Mayfield shredded a reeling Eagles defense in the Bucs’ wild-card rout and is now firmly on the radar for an extension. It would be a blow for the Bucs to lose Canales; the rookie OC, though, is only in contention for one of the HC positions. The Seahawks, Chargers and Commanders have not met with the 42-year-old staffer. Neither did the Raiders, Patriots or Titans. It seems some level of doubt exists on Canales, with Johnson being a more popular candidate after two years as Lions OC.

The Panthers have DC Ejiro Evero and Rams DC Raheem Morris joining Canales in being set for second interviews. Johnson interviewed with the team over the weekend; as of now, no second interview is scheduled. The Commanders, who are scheduling a second Johnson meeting, boast a superior outlook compared to the Panthers presently. They are free of Dan Snyder and hold the No. 2 overall pick (whereas the Panthers traded the No. 1 choice to the Bears) to go with the NFL’s most cap space. But Tepper is the NFL’s second-richest owner, giving Carolina an advantage on that front.

If Canales lands the Carolina job, Tampa Bay may look in-house to replace him. QBs coach Thad Lewis will be considered for the post in that event, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes. A Bruce Arians hire, Lewis just finished his first season as the Bucs’ QBs coach. He spent the 2021 and ’22 seasons as the team’s assistant wide receivers coach, but the ex-NFL QB’s work with Mayfield does not look to have gone unnoticed. Though, no team has yet reached out about an OC interview.

Panthers Promote Dan Morgan To GM

January 22nd, 2024 at 9:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after it was reported Dan Morgan was in line to stay in Carolina in some fashion, his future has been secured. The Panthers announced on Monday that Morgan has been promoted to general manager/president of football operations.

“Dan has a thorough knowledge of our football personnel and a clear vision to take us where we all want to go,” a statement from owner David Tepper reads. “We know he will attack this opportunity with the same intensity he did as a Panthers player.”

Morgan was a first-round pick by the Panthers back in 2001, and the linebacker ended up spending seven seasons with the organization. Following his retirement, he spent time in the Seahawks front office, working his way up from scouting intern to director of pro personnel.

He took the same role in Buffalo in 2018 and spent three seasons with the Bills. He was later recruited to the Panthers front office by Scott Fitterer, with Morgan being named assistant GM in 2021. He held that role for three-plus seasons before falling into the interim GM gig after Fitterer was fired this past season.

Throughout the hiring process, Morgan was considered a strong contender for the role. The organization looked at more than 10 different candidates for the GM job, with Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown and Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby being among those who earned second interviews. Ultimately, the Panthers decided to stick with Morgan, with sources telling Josina Anderson that the exec has “the trust [and] embedded comfort” of owner David Tepper.

Morgan’s most pressing responsibility is to find a new head coach,and Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network notes that the executive has been participating in the interview process. Morgan will also look to add executives to his front office. Albert Breer of SI.com notes that Chiefs vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis is a strong contender to join the Panthers. Tilis actually interviewed for the Panthers job, and the long-time Chiefs executive has often showed up in the GM interview carousel. Breer adds that some sources expected Tepper to pair Morgan with a cap/analytics executive like Tilis.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

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