Report: Panthers’ offseason hires ‘praised around the league’

Will the third time be a charm for Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper? Well, a few folks in and around the league may think so.

The 33rd Team NFL insider Ari Meirov recently served up some news and nuggets coming out of this year’s Senior Bowl. Among the notes is some praise for the Panthers—who are getting props for their hiring of head coach Dave Canales as well as their restructuring of the front office.

Meirov writes:

Patience will be key with owner David Tepper, and only time will tell if he’s willing to play along. Several people told me when putting together my head coach candidates list that Canales was a name to watch. However, if a team hired him they’re getting him a year early. Carolina was willing to take that risk.

On top of that, the Panthers also got praise for the front office they’re assembling. It starts with GM Dan Morgan and Executive VP of Football Operations Brandt Tilis, who came from Kansas City. This structure is similar to what San Francisco has with John Lynch and chief contract negotiator Paraag Marathe.

Tilis, according to the organization, will be responsible for “all football administration and non-coaching matters related to operations, equipment, video, and analytics, among other areas.” He’ll also lead player contract negotiations, similarly to his role for the reigning and defending Super Bowl champions.

Hey, not bad for supposedly having the least desirable openings in the NFL, right?