Odds to fill the Carolina Panthers Head Coaching Vacancy

• The Carolina Panthers have fired Head Coach Matt Rhule.
• Super Bowl sportsbooks have tabbed Sean Payton as the most likely candidate to replace him.
• Betting on offensive minds outside of Payton may be the best bet based on the Panthers’ team needs.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Following the dismissal of Head Coach Matt Rhule, the Carolina Panthers’ head coaching job may be Sean Payton’s to lose based on betting odds.

Betting Against Defensive Coordinators

Bovada’s betting odds place a clear emphasis on the Carolina Panthers hiring an offensive-minded head coach to replace Matt Rhule.

Based on the Panthers’ history under Rhule that should come as a surprise to no one:

• Carolina Panthers Offense: Through five weeks the Carolina Panthers have the fewest expected points generated by their offense. That last-place ranking is only slightly worse than 2021 when they had the second-fewest points expected from their offense. In Rhule’s first year, Carolina’s offense ranked 24th in expected points.
• Carolina Panthers Defense: The Carolina Panthers ranked 20th in expected points generated by their defense in 2020. Since then the unit has proven to be elite, with their defense ranking sixth and 12th in the past two seasons.

Dan Quinn (+350), DeMeco Ryans (+950), and current interim Head Coach Steve Wilks (+1200) all represent qualified NFL Head Coaching candidates, but given the Panthers’ need for an offensive identity, they may be bad bets.

Betting Against Sean Payton

Sean Payton is well regarded as one of the top offensive minds available on the NFL Head Coaching market, but he may be a bad bet for a few reasons.

The first reason is his contract status:

Sean Payton will likely be at the top of this list, just like he is going to be at the top of every list. But hard to imagine any world in which the #Saints — who have his rights until 2024 — would be cool sending Payton to a division rival. https://t.co/6A7QZN3IG1

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022

The unlikeliness of the New Orleans Saints trading their Super Bowl winning Head Coach within the division is just one factor supporting the notion that Sean Payton will not be the next face of the Carolina Panthers.

Payton has stated that he will only return if the right situation presents itself.

The Panthers are 1-4 this season and are considered to be ways away from Super Bowl contention.

Betting on Sean Payton to view them as the right situation and for the Saints to grant him his wish to coach the team with +260 odds is a bad bet.

Focusing on the offensive-minded options such as Shane Steichen (+450), Kellen Moore (+750), or Ben Johnson (+950) who have clear access to the team and are less likely to outright decline the job are much better options.