Panthers news: Ben Johnson, Champ Kelly, Jaycee Horn and David Tepper

Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as fans eagerly await their new head coach and general manager appointments?

It won't be much longer before the Carolina Panthers get their guys. While there is an air of impatience among the fanbase thanks in no small part to David Tepper's previous mismanagement, the time for action is almost upon us as coaches involved in postseason football can be interviewed officially in the coming days.

A nervous and frantic few days await. Until then, the stories causing debate include Jaycee Horn's hopes, the Panthers gearing up for a Ben Johnson tug-of-war, Tepper's erratic decision-making leading to questions from around the league, and Champ Kelly emerging as a strong candidate for Carolina's vacant general manager position.

Let's delve into each topic in more detail.

Carolina Panthers braced for Ben Johnson tug-of-war

It's no secret that the Carolina Panthers have Ben Johnson high on their shortlist of head coaching candidates. The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator has a chance to solidify his claims for an expected promotion elsewhere during their playoff clash against the Los Angeles Rams this evening. However, David Tepper faces a fight for the coveted play-caller in the coming days.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Washington Commanders have also identified Johnson as a key target to work alongside newly appointed front-office leader Adam Peters. Josh Harris' ambitious plans have made the perennial strugglers a hot destination quickly, so Tepper needs to pull a rabbit out of the hat to get his man.

There will be other candidates worthy of consideration. But the Panthers must not be caught short if they cannot convince Johnson to join the ranks. That would be nothing short of disastrous after one of the worst seasons in franchise history.