5 candidates Carolina Panthers should not hire to replace Frank Reich

Carolina Panthers should take Brian Callahan off the shortlist

• Offensive Coordinator | Cincinnati Bengals

A hire that I think could be a huge mistake is Brian Callahan. For those unaware, he is currently the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator.

First off, he hasn't called plays on a regular basis during his time with the Bengals. Secondly, Cincinnati's offense has been pretty inconsistent during his tenure, even when franchise quarterback Joe Burrow is healthy and in the lineup.

Since arriving with the Bengals in 2019, Callahan's offenses have ranked No. 30, No. 29, No. 7 twice, and No. 23 league-wide. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper likes analytics, so this would be off-putting.

There's also been next to nothing from the rushing game during his tenure. The Bengals' rushing attack has never ranked higher than No. 23 in yards gained on average. They also rank dead last in yards this year.

Part of being an efficient offense in the NFL is an ability to establish the run. The Bengals have simply not done that in Callahan's tenure.

I'd also go as far as to say that Zac Taylor isn't a very good head coach, so I'm not sure that bodes well for Callahan and his status as a coordinator. He has coached in the NFL since 2010 and is the son of Bill Callahan, so the NFL pedigree is there.

However, I think it might be too early for Callahan to be a head coach in the NFL.