DURHAM, N.C. — Twenty-eight years after he took the first snap in Carolina Panthers franchise history, Frank Reich is back as the team's sixth official head coach.
It's a four-year deal for Reich, 61, who was let go as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in November.
Reich was chosen over eight other candidates, including interim head coach Steve Wilks, because he is an offensive-minded coach and the team is prioritizing fixing a quarterback room that hasn't been noteworthy since Cam Newton started having shoulder issues back in the 2018 season.
Of course, hiring Reich doesn't guarantee those issues will be resolved, according to Locked on Panthers host Julian Council, until we know who is actually going to play quarterback in Carolina.
"From the beginning, for me, it did not really matter who the Panthers hired," Council said on an episode of the Locked on Sports Today podcast. "Their success is going to be dependent on finding the right quarterback. Finding and maximizing the talent of that quarterback."
Reich dealt with a rotating cast of characters at quarterback for the Colts over the past few years, although each side is likely hoping to find someone who can play the position for the long term.
Does that mean the Panthers will turn to the 2023 NFL draft to find a quarterback Reich can develop? Or will they look to the free agent market, which includes names like Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Baker Mayfield?
How they proceed from here will go a long way in determining this team's ceiling in 2023 and beyond, and what kind of pressure Reich is going to feel to perform right out of the gate with the Panthers.