Frank Reich
Things are really starting to heat up in Carolina and by the time you are reading this Frank Reich may have already been fired by Panthers owner David Tepper. While Reich's first season has been an unmitigated disaster, it isn't solely on the man who used to be the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.
First of all, it does not help that the team completely whiffed on taking the right quarterback and took Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud. Young could absolutely blossom into a solid quarterback one day but as it stands right now, he might be the worst starting quarterback in the sport. Stroud, meanwhile, is a runaway favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Reich was part of that decision to take Young but there have been rumblings all season that he preferred Stroud as a quarterback prospect. Of course, Reich pushed back on those rumblings in the public but as we said, where there is smoke there is fire.
Prior to his tenure in Carolina Reich was getting the absolute most out of an Indianapolis Colts team that never gave him a good quarterback. The Colts had no business being as good as they were over Reich's tenure with the guys they had at quarterback but Reich was able to elevate them. With Justin Herbert and a blend of ideas with Kellen Moore, the sky could be the limit.
Reich is not a home run candidate and he certainly should not be the team's first option. But if anything, he could be the fallback option to someone like Jim Harbaugh (assuming he is available). If the Chargers want someone who they have previous ties with who has head coaching experience then Harbaugh is the top candidate.
But if they miss out on that option, Reich is the next option on the list who has ties to the franchise and has head coaching experience.