Now that hiring season in the aftermath of the regular season has essentially concluded, the Panthers have commenced the process of searching for a new General Manager.
Via NFL Media, the Panthers will interview interim G.M. Marty Hurney and Texans executive Jimmy Raye, at a minimum. The Panthers also plan to interview Bilss assistant director of college scouting and Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden.
It’s unclear why the Panthers waited nearly three weeks to commence the process of interviewing G.M. candidates. Hurney returned to the team as the interim G.M. after the Panthers abruptly fired Dave Gettleman late in the offseason.
The search begins at a time when the team is for sale, which means that whoever gets the job may not have it for long. The pending sale would seem to justify keeping Hurney on an interim basis until the sale is finalized; it’s possible, however, that the Fritz Pollard Alliance has pushed the NFL and the Panthers to finally open the process and interview a minority candidate for the job.