The Panthers already have a head coaching vacancy, and there’s an expectation that they’ll soon have a general manager opening. Unsurprisingly, it sounds like Panthers owner David Tepper isn’t wasting any time preparing for his next big hires.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Tepper has been working with consulting firm Sportsology, which is led by former Chelsea FC executive Mike Forde. As Joe Person of The Athletic notes, Forde recently helped Tepper with his Charlotte FC coaching search, and the executive has also worked with the Rams, 49ers, and Falcons. For what it’s worth, Tepper didn’t rely on a consulting firm when he hired Matt Rhule and Frank Reich.
While Scott Fitterer sounds like he’s at risk of losing his job, the general manager’s replacement could already be in the building. Per Schefter, Panthers assistant GM Dan Morgan has “support within the organization” to take over the full-time gig. There’s also a chance Fitterer sticks around the organization…at least temporarily. Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the GM could “help with some of the transition” to a new head coach.
Of course, whoever takes over at GM will face the tough task of turning around the franchise. The Panthers have already traded their first-round pick (which ultimately came in at No. 1) to the Bears to draft Bryce Young, who struggled throughout his rookie campaign. With limited draft resources and a roster that’s lacking top-end talent, the next GM will surely require a multi-year rebuild to get the Panthers back on track.
As for the replacement for the ousted Reich, Russini writes that Tepper is expected to “try again” to hire Ben Johnson. The Lions offensive coordinator is expected to be a popular name on the coaching circuit, just as he was last offseason. Johnson was at one time considered the front-runner for the Panthers' job before he dropped out of the race to stay in Detroit.
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