4 players who could follow Frank Reich to the Panthers in 2023

When it comes to the business side of the NFL, who you know matters. In the case of a number of 2023 NFL free agents, it’s possible that a connection with Frank Reich at some point or another could lead to a reunion with the Carolina Panthers. Reich was the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-17 before becoming the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018.

Between those two teams alone, there should be plenty of connections available in NFL Free Agency in 2023, or perhaps even the trade market, to get Frank Reich some guys who might be familiar with his scheme or at least the way he runs things as a head coach.

But which players, specifically, could follow him to the Panthers? Let’s take a look at four.

4 players that could follow Frank Reich to the Carolina Panthers in 2023

1. Parris Campbell, WR, Indianapolis Colts (2023 free agent)

What was once one of the deepest groups of skill players in the NFL has since dwindled down to DJ Moore and a handful of question marks. Frank Reich isn’t inheriting a Panthers team with Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel, and Robbie Anderson. No, he’s inheriting a team with some dart throw types of players like Laviska Shenault Jr. and Chuba Hubbard.

We know the skill positions will be emphasized this offseason by the Carolina Panthers, and someone like Parris Campbell could be a nice addition to their offense now that Frank Reich is running the show. Reich was obviously part of drafting Campbell in the second round out of Ohio State back in the 2019 NFL Draft, but injuries prevented any of us from really seeing how special he could be at the next level.

He finally played all 17 games in 2022 and finished with a career-best 63 receptions. Perhaps Campbell is just now scratching the surface of the kind of NFL player he can become, and Reich might want to see his development through.

2. Jacoby Brissett, QB, Cleveland Browns (2023 NFL free agent)

On multiple occasions now, Jacoby Brissett has proven himself to be a capable starting quarterback in the NFL. Is he the type of player you’re going to build a five-year plan around? Not likely, but in a one-year situation? That isn’t out of the question.

Brissett came into the NFL with the New England Patriots back in 2016 as a third-round pick out of North Carolina State. The Colts traded for Brissett on September 2, 2017 because then-starter Andrew Luck was going to miss the entire 2017 season due to injury.

Brissett started in 2017 for the Colts on short notice and wound up playing pretty well all things considered, although the Colts didn’t have much team success without Luck at the helm. Brissett became Luck’s backup in 2018 after the team hired Reich, only to become the starter again in 2019 after Luck shockingly announced his retirement from pro football.

Brissett was the guy Reich had to turn to when he was thrown arguably the biggest curveball of his NFL coaching career. The Carolina Panthers undoubtedly need to figure out their QB position for the long-term, and Reich will obviously be the one perhaps with the biggest voice in terms of who that ends up being.

If the Panthers decide to go for a young quarterback, someone like Jacoby Brissett, running and operating Frank Reich’s offense, could be the ideal bridge in 2023.

3. Fletcher Cox, DL, Philadelphia Eagles (2023 NFL free agent)

It’s hard to imagine Fletcher Cox playing for anyone but the Philadelphia Eagles, but rumors have been persistent for the last couple of offseasons that some type of move could be looming.

Yet the Eagles and Cox continue to figure out a way to stick together.

Could the 2023 offseason finally be when Fletcher Cox decides to go play elsewhere? The Eagles, like any team in their position (NFC champions, absolutely loaded on the roster), will have a tough time keeping the band together.

Among their notable free agents this year include:

• C Jason Kelce
• DB CJ Gardner-Johnson
• CB James Bradberry
• EDGE Brandon Graham

I’m sure Howie Roseman could pull some tricks out of his hat to keep the majority of this team together — we’ll find out more in the next month on that — but it isn’t unreasonable to think the Eagles could lose at least one prominent player from their current roster.

If Fletcher Cox leaves in free agency, the Panthers are a team that could make a ton of sense. He would reunite with Reich, who was on the Eagles’ staff from 2016-17 and would also get the chance to work in Ejiro Evero’s defense. Evero is the Panthers’ new DC, coming over from the Denver Broncos and working with a wide variety of talented defensive linemen in his years as an assistant coach, including Aaron Donald with the Rams and Dre’Mont Jones with the Broncos.

4. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (possible cap casualty)

Alright, here’s a deep cut and something of a long shot, but there’s a chance that Keenan Allen could become a cap casualty or maybe trade candidate this offseason, and I think the Panthers would be a team that makes a lot of sense to bring him in.

Keenan Allen has been playing at a high level for a long time now, and if the Chargers moved on from him, that would be surprising from a football standpoint but perhaps not from a business standpoint as the Chargers are up against the salary cap.

Frank Reich was hired by the San Diego Chargers as their QBs coach in 2013, which just so happens to be the same year Keenan Allen was drafted in the third round by the Chargers out of Cal. Reich remained with the Chargers organization in 2014 and 2015 as the team’s offensive coordinator, so he clearly knows Keenan Allen well and was there during his first few seasons in the league.

As I stated previously, the Panthers are going to need to make some moves at the offensive skill positions. Having a savvy veteran like Allen out there along with DJ Moore would make the life of whoever is playing QB for the Chargers a lot easier.