Panthers OC candidate profile: Jim Bob Cooter

Now that they have their offensive-minded head coach in Frank Reich, the Carolina Panthers will have to get their offensive coordinator. And one of the early names to emerge as a possibility is Jacksonville Jaguars passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.

Cooter has an extensive history on the NFL’s sidelines, most notably as an offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions—a stint that began on an interim basis in the middle of the 2015 campaign. In the 2017, he commanded the seventh-best scoring offense in the league and helped direct quarterback Matthew Stafford to one of the best seasons of his career—where he put up 29 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions while touting a 99.3 passer rating.

Even earlier than that, the Fayetteville, Tenn. native was part of one of the greatest offenses ever—serving as an assistant for Peyton Manning’s 2013 Denver Broncos. He also played a role in the Trevor Lawrence breakout year this past season under Reich’s old buddy in Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

Cooter would be a savvy and relatively familiar hire for Reich, and a person who he might feel comfortable turning over play-calling duties to. His history and proven offensive success would make yet another solid addition to help this growing staff and whichever quarterback is deemed the starter going into 2023.