4 burning questions Carolina Panthers fans are asking ahead of Week 5 at Lions

Carolina Panthers HC Frank Reich's job security

What does Reich’s record have to be to get a 2nd year? Is it possible Tepper will pull the plug after one year? - Vince D.

At first, I thought at least five wins would be able to help Frank Reich keep his job. Now, it might be six to eight. That means the Carolina Panthers will need to finish at least .500 or better for the rest of the year.

However, I'm not calling for Reich's job yet. If these same struggles continue deep into the year should he choose not to give up the play-calling duties, team owner David Tepper may need to start reevaluating his decision to hire him in the first place.

This year feels different. More than anything, it's basic speculation from fans that Reich is on the hot seat. It's Week 5 of the regular season and there is still plenty of time for this team to end on a more positive note.

Is it possible if the season goes completely sideways that Reich loses his job? Certainly.

Tepper could pull the plug if the team finishes anywhere from 5-12 or worse unless he is incredibly patient with the building process of this offense. This means putting more trust in general manager Scott Fitterer.

Take that last part as you will.

Reich is a veteran head coach. It's great to have a legitimate coaching staff with NFL experience compared to the previous regime. I still have a lot of respect for them overall and believe it's a great group of coaches.

However, this leads to the next question of this mailbag...