Lions’ Ben Johnson, Cowboys’ Dan Quinn among potential Reich replacements for Panthers

The Panthers are looking for a new head coach following the firing of Frank Reich on Monday.

Reich went 1-10 in his 11 games at the helm, not even lasting an entire season. With special teams coordinator Chris Tabor taking over as interim head coach, he will have an opportunity to get ahead of the crowd of candidates this offseason.

With a pair of promising coordinators already on the staff — offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero — the Panthers might also monitor both young coaches over the next six weeks.

Internal options for new Panthers coach

Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero

Despite dealing with several injuries and a lame offense, Evero has put together a competitive season for his unit this year. Evero is considered among the league’s up-and-coming coaches, and he should get consideration for this job and others, despite Carolina’s lack of success. The franchise has largely favored defensive minds at head coach, and losing Evero after completely changing the defensive scheme might be a major deterrent for owner David Tepper.

Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown

Getting a three-game tenure as the primary play-caller on offense wasn’t fair to Brown, no matter how you spin the decision. Sure, the offense was putrid under his control, but the playbook belonged to Reich and his collective. Brown was left to call plays for an offense that he didn’t solely come up with. Brown’s setback probably won’t help him land his job, but he should get some consideration anyway. He will retake play-calling duties with Reich out.

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor

Now serving as the interim head coach, Tabor is likely to get an interview for the job. Tepper was in favor of Reich retaining Tabor this offseason after passing on Steve Wilks. Special teams has seemingly been the only consistent operation for the Panthers over the past two years, and Tabor works with almost everyone on the roster on a daily basis. While special teams coordinators are typically long shots for jobs, it’s fair to question how much interest the Panthers will have in their opening after back-to-back firings.

Up-and-coming offensive minds for Panthers job

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson

Johnson was a favorite for this job last year. He decided to pass on his interview ultimately, and his outlook toward the job may remain unchanged at this point. Still, Johnson is one of the more clever play-callers in the league and the Teppers have a ton of money to throw at him. Johnson is an Asheville native and a UNC alum. He checks every box for fan excitement as Detroit’s offensive guru.

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik

Like Johnson, Slowik is a young offensive coordinator with some recent juice. He has helped No. 2 pick, CJ Stroud, become a 20-yard completion machine in their respective first years in Houston. Slowik doesn’t have a lot of top-level experience, but he has shown he can manage a young offense. Some guys are simply good or great coordinators instead of head coaches, but you never know until they spin the wheel.

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson

If the Panthers want to roll the dice on a first-year play-caller who has had immediate success, Johnson could be an appealing option. He has shepherded the growth of Jalen Hurts over the past three seasons, initially as his QB coach before taking control of the play-calling duties this year. Johnson, a former college quarterback at Utah, has been a successful OC in college and the pros, and he could be an exciting name of the fan base to rally behind. Just 36, Johnson has a lot of upside.

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy

Bieniemy has been passed over for several head coaching positions. But this year, he has finally shown his proficiency as a play-caller outside of the shadow of Chiefs head coach Andy Reich. Bieniemy has overseen the success of Sam Howell, who has put up monster numbers in his second season. With Howell being among the league leaders in several passing categories, Bieniemy should appeal on the coaching carousel.

Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore

Moore interviewed for the Panthers’ head coach job last offseason. Still relatively young, Moore has had a solid first season in Los Angeles after making the most of his time in Dallas. Moore, like Reich, is a former NFL quarterback with years of offensive coordinator experience. Now that he has proven himself outside of the shadow of two offensive-minded head coaches, he could make another push for a top gig.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron

Waldron oversaw the miraculous run by Geno Smith last season. While his 2023 offense isn’t much to write home about, Waldron has still had a successful run in Seattle. While Tepper might want to avoid the Seahawks model, Waldron has shown the ability to anchor a solid-to-strong offense in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan

Callahan has worked with Joe Burrow during his ascension into one of the league’s brightest stars. An NFL legacy coach, Callahan has been around the sport his entire life, and his background with quarterback success can’t be ignored. The Panthers need to determine whether Burrow’s success is a creation of Zac Taylor’s vision or Callahan’s coaching chops.

Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith

Smith is starting to get some buzz in NFL circles. Mike McDaniel’s top offensive lieutenant has helped oversee an inspiring offense, which has unmatched speed. McDaniel and Smith have overseen the revitalization of Tua Tagovailoa over the past two seasons, and that could put Smith in prime position to inherit another former Alabama quarterback. Smith has a background as a tight ends coach, an offensive line coach and a run game coordinator.

Veteran defensive coordinators Tepper could consider

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks

It’s hard to imagine Tepper wants to double down on claiming defeat here. Wilks was 6-6 in his interim stint in 2022 and Tepper passed on him as the Charlotte native made it to the final round of the search. Wilks has had a solid first season in San Francisco — despite some hiccups — and he should see some renewed interest in top jobs this offseason. Would Wilks be willing to accept a third stop in his hometown?

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn

Quinn, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, could be the hottest retread commodity on the market this offseason. He’s got plenty experience as a head coach, and he has turned the Dallas Cowboys’ defense into one of the elite groups in the league. Quinn is known for emotional intelligence as leader and his efficient game plans on defense. If the Panthers are open-minded to another defensive-minded head coach, Quinn should be around the top of their list. Ultimately, Quinn should have plenty of options in January.

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz

The former Detroit Lions head coach has won a Super Bowl and led some pretty spectacular defenses since losing his first top job. He has been searching for his next shot for years with little bite from NFL owners. Still, his success in Cleveland can’t be ignored this year, and he seems primed to be a candidate for some jobs this year.

Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris

It’s been a while since Morris was the young head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has since bounced around the league, wearing many hats in the process. That journey ultimately led to a Super Bowl run with the Rams as their defensive coordinator. Hiring Morris would allow the Panthers keep a good portion of their staff in place, especially since the group has quite a few ties to Los Angeles.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores

Flores had an up-and-down tenure in Miami before he was unceremoniously fired by the Dolphins. However, as he awaits the ruling on a lawsuit against the league, Flores is thriving as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores could be looked at as an unconventional hire, but there’s no doubt his no-nonsense approach would be an escape from Reich’s feel-good outlook.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo

Anarumo has developed a ton of defensive talent during his time with the Bengals. A candidate for jobs last year, he should get some looks this offseason as well. While he’s probably not considered a hot candidate, his success is hard denied on the defensive side of the ball.

The college crowd

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh

Harbaugh flirted with the Panthers job last year and nothing happened. Despite the heat he’s received from the NCAA, Harbaugh could stick around because of the school’s backing of his program. Harbaugh obviously had a lot of success during his time with the 49ers, but he is so far removed from that time that it’s fair to wonder if the NFL is the best place for him.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley

After two years at USC, Riley has claimed he isn’t going anywhere. Still, the NFL rumors persist around the former Oklahoma head coach. Buyer beware when you consider the Rhule era ended disastrously.

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell

Campbell has received some NFL smoke over the past few years. A steady head coach presence on the college level, Campbell could be an interesting option if Tepper wants to go back to that well. Campbell has had success pretty much everywhere he’s been and could probably put together a worthwhile staff that features a mix of NFL lifers and college minds.

This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Lions’ Ben Johnson, Cowboys’ Dan Quinn among potential Reich replacements for Panthers."

Mike Kaye

The Charlotte Observer

Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription