Potential Offensive Coordinator Candidates for the Panthers

A few names who may be interested in running the offense in Carolina.

The first domino in the Panthers offseason has officially fallen. Thursday afternoon Carolina named Frank Reich the sixth full-time head coach in team history.

Reich takes over a team that finished 7-10 and in second place in the NFC South. Reich inherits a talented roster that can compete immediately depending on a few factors. The most important factor is the quarterback. Second and third to that are the decisions he makes at offensive and defensive coordinator.

The team has already requested permission to speak with Jaguars passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter about the job, but who else might be on the radar? Here are a few options for some potential staff members to join Frank Reich's coaching staff in Carolina as offensive coordinator.

Brian Johnson - Philadelphia Eagles Quarterbacks Coach

Johnson was hired to become the Eagles' quarterbacks coach in 2021, and he has played a major part in the rise of Jalen Hurts. He came up from the college ranks having bounced around between coordinator/quarterbacks coach at different programs over the last decade. 

The connection between Brian Johnson is current Eagles' head coach Nick Sirianni. Sirianni was Reich's offensive coordinator from 2018-2020 in Indianapolis. 

Johnson's name has been thrown around for every current offensive coordinator opening across the league, and with Carolina's interest in drafting a developing a quarterback, Johnson would be a home run hire at offensive coordinator.

Parks Frazier - Indianapolis Colts Assistant Quarterbacks Coach

This is kind of a shot in the dark, but Frazier and Reich are tight, as Reich officiated the wedding ceremony of Frazier and his wife a few years ago.

Frazier was hired by Indianapolis in 2018 to be an assistant to Reich, and eventually rose to call plays for the team in 2022 after Jeff Saturday was named acting head coach. If Reich liked what he saw in Frazier's short stint as interim offensive coordinator in Indianapolis, it would make sense for him to give his friend a shot in Charlotte.

Marcus Brady - Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Consultant

Brady would be another case of getting the band back together. He was hired by the Colts in 2018 as an assistant quarterbacks coach and eventually rose to be their offensive coordinator in 2021, replacing Sirianni. Brady was let go at the same time as Reich, and a reunion in Carolina can't be ruled out. 

John DeFilippo - New Orleans Breakers Head Coach (USFL)

DeFilippo spent two years with Reich in Philadelphia (2016-17) serving as the quarterbacks coach. During this time, Reich was the OC and play-caller, so the two had a big hand in Carson Wentz's success early in his career. DeFilippo has coordinator experience having been the OC in Minnesota in 2018 and in Jacksonville in 2019. Although he's currently the head coach of New Orleans in the revamped USFL, there's a good chance he would be interested in leaving to come to Carolina.

Mike Groh - New York Giants Wide Receivers Coach 

Groh has primarily worked with receivers in his career, getting his start in the league in 2013 with the Chicago Bears. In 2016, he became the passing game coordinator and receivers coach for the Rams before linking up with Reich in 2017 as the receivers coach in Philly. Groh actually became Reich's replacement as the offensive coordinator when Reich took the head coaching job in Indy. After calling plays for two years, he reunited with Reich to once again coach receivers in Indy. I'm not sure if he's a strong candidate to be the OC but certainly a name to watch as a receivers coach.

Kevin Patullo - Philadelphia Eagles Passing Game Coordinator

Patullo was a part of Reich's initial staff in Indianapolis, serving as the receivers coach from 2018-19 before becoming the pass game specialist in 2020. In 2021, he returned to the Eagles as the passing game coordinator and remains there today. If Patullo becomes the guy, I would expect Reich to call the plays.