4 pressing items for Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich in 2023

Frank Reich must get Carolina Panthers’ locker room onside

There was an untold amount of support for Steve Wilks to get the Carolina Panthers head coaching gig beyond 2022 from within the locker room. Many established stars went public in their calls for the interim tag to be removed, which fell on deaf ears as team owner David Tepper went with Frank Reich, instead.

According to Will Kunkel of FOX Charlotte, many veterans were informed of the reasons behind Reich’s appointment before the news broke. This was met with approval, which is a positive sign that things can go smoothly right out of the gate.

Wilks galvanized the roster incredibly well considering the mess Matt Rhule left behind. Everyone pulled together and bought in when the deck was stacked against the Panthers, which is something that Reich must also accomplish before competitive action commences.

Leaning on influential locker room figures will help. Although in players like Shaq Thompson’s case, they could be sacrificed for salary-cap relief when examining the biggest picture.

Reich is a proven leader of men and knows what it takes to win in the NFL. That is always a solid foundation from which to build, but he’ll need to get everyone onside immediately to avoid further complications down the line.