Keeping it all in house?

[Mr. Scot]

So with the lack of any reported outside action on any front but the Assistant Special Teams job while other teams are seemingly hiring assistants left and right, I know a few on here have shown a little impatience.

The Panthers do like to keep things quiet, so it's possible that all the searching is genuinely being done, just not being publicized.

There is one other possibility though: That being that most of the search is concentrating for now on internal candidates.

"Is that really an option?" you ask.

Well, it could be.

We've already seen one internal promotion (Chase Blackburn). Among those remaining, the most obvious option for internal promotion would be Sam Mills III on the defensive line. I think this is a choice that most wouldn't really have a big problem with given that he's been assisting with it for a while and the players speak highly of him.

As to the offensive line, despite Ray Brown having the title of offensive line coach, the actual OL coach was "run game coordinator" John Matsko. So in reality, the search for a new line coach could really just be a search for Matsko's next assistant. And it's even plausible they could decide he doesn't need one.

The only other true position coach spot available besides the DL is the linebacker coaching job. So is there an internal candidate for that?

Maybe.

Nickel coach Jeff Imamura played linebacker in the pros (as a teammate of incoming Assistant Special Teams coach Heath Farwell). If you look back at his resume', you'll see that he has also held a linebacker coaching job in the past.

Throw in the secondary coaching is a little bit crowded at this point. We have three different guys assigned to the secondary. Along with Imamura, there's secondary coach Curtis Fuller and safeties coach (former ST coach)  Richard Rodgers.

It's conceivable that Rivera may decide we don't need three secondary coaches and just reassign Imamura to linebackers.

If all this were to happen, the only real position open for anybody from the outside would be Assistant Defensive Line. Maybe Assistant Offensive Line if they decide they want one.

Not exactly exciting, I know...

Truth be told, they were pretty strong outside candidates for both of defensive line (Brentson Buckner) and linebacker spots (John Pagano). But Rivera has been known to favor internal promotion in the past.

So could all or most of our new hires to come actually be reassignments?

Yeah, it could happen.

I'd rather it didn't, but hey...

[Anybodyhome]

Guess I'll apply for Mick Mixon's job. Anyone know if the Panthers use Indeed.com or careerbuilder?

[Mr. Scot]

Our one (so far) "outside the box" hire is confirmed.

Person confirmed it as well.

[Mr. Scot]

More on Farwell...

Panthers hire Heath Farwell as Seahawks overhaul continues

Dwaine Board is another guy I'd love for us to look at.  He's a good DL coach, but has no connections to Rivera, so...

 

[xav8tor]

For the LB coach position, if the NHL can have player/coaches, why not us? I know one guy who fits the bill. Holds a mean clipboard too.