Ryan Clark and Tim Hasselbeck say Daniel Snyder and Bruce Allen need to find the right people at general manager and head coach to get the Redskins back on track. (1:42)

Multiple league sources believe former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera is a primary candidate for the Washington Redskins job.

Several people involved in league hirings say Rivera has been strongly considered, which a team source also believes to be the case while adding that ownership has been quiet about its plans.

Rivera, who will turn 58 on Jan. 7, is a minority candidate, so a team can hire him now without having to satisfy the Rooney Rule elsewhere in the process.

But Rivera, who led Carolina to three NFC South titles and a Super Bowl appearance in nine seasons, is expected to have options with multiple teams. The Panthers fired Rivera on Dec. 3 after a four-game losing streak. He went 76-63-1 during his tenure.

After his firing, Rivera said he "absolutely" planned to continue coaching.

"My intent is to coach again. I love coaching," Rivera said. "Not just coaching because it's about winning football games, but coaching because you have an opportunity to impact young men and people. And that's what I want to do."

It's uncertain whether Rivera has formally interviewed with Washington, which fired Jay Gruden on Oct. 7 after an 0-5 start.

This offseason is expected to feature a lighter coaching carousel than past years, with as few as four or five openings by next week. What's considered a weak coordinator pool overall helps the case of past head coaches such as Rivera and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy.