Norv Turner finalizing deal to be Panthers' offensive coordinator

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Former NFL head coach Norv Turner arrived in Charlotte on Wednesday to finalize details that would make him the next offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, a league source told ESPN.

Turner's son, Scott, an analyst who worked with quarterbacks at Michigan, also is coming to Carolina as the next position coach for Cam Newton, according to another source.

The Panthers on Tuesday fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula and quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey. Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said he made the move because he felt a change was needed to further the development of Newton, who had 30 interceptions to 41 touchdown passes the past two seasons.

"I came to the conclusion going forward the thing we needed to do was bring in a different perspective, different ideas in terms of going forward to what I believe is our ultimate goal, and that is winning a Super Bowl,'' Rivera said after firing Shula and Dorsey.

"I think Cam's got room for improvement. There's room for growth, and he showed some growth this year and made some big steps.''

Rivera said he had a plan in mind for Shula's replacement, but he did not comment about Turner when asked specifically about him. Rivera spent four years under Turner at San Diego from 2007 to 2010, including the last three years as the defensive coordinator.

It will be a huge family reunion in Carolina, where Turner's brother, Ron, already is an offensive consultant, and his nephew Cameron is the assistant quarterbacks coach.

Scott was the quality control coach at Carolina during Rivera's first two years (2011-12). He spent the 2014-16 seasons as the quarterbacks coach at Minnesota, where his dad was the offensive coordinator, before joining Michigan this year.

Norv Turner, 65, left the Vikings after a 5-2 start to the 2016 season and has been out of football since. But he said in June at an NFL coaching clinic that he wanted to get back into the league and that he'd been contacted by several coaches about opportunities.

One of Turner's strengths has been developing young quarterbacks, such as Troy Aikman,Philip Riversand Drew Brees. Newton, 28, is coming off his worst two seasons in terms of passer rating.

Turner, also a former head coach at Washington and Oakland, was scheduled to meet with Rivera and others in the organization on Wednesday night. Barring a snag, a formal announcement is expected over the next couple of days.