The Carolina Panthers defense has been shorthanded all season and yet they sit at 2-2 and are playing better than expected. A lot of praise goes to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The performance of the Panthers has Evero ascending into a head coaching candidate, according to Henry McKenna of Fox Sports.
McKenna notes that Evero’s ability to overcome his team’s talent limitations is what will have NFL teams interested.
“The numbers haven’t been pretty for a substantial portion of Evero’s time in Carolina, because the defensive personnel has been … quite bad,” wrote McKenna. “But this group could ascend quickly — and help the Panthers make the playoffs. If/when that happens, Evero will get the respect that’s overdue.”
Eric Williams of Fox Sports added that Evero has been a rising head coaching candidate since 2022, when he worked with Sean McVay.
“Considered a head-coaching candidate since his time with the Rams under McVay, where he rose from safeties coach to passing game coordinator, Evero has coached a top-10 defense two times over the past five years as a DC,” wrote Williams. “The 45-year-old remains an up-and-coming head coaching candidate.”
Evero has already gotten head coaching consideration. He interviewed for the Falcons, Steelers, and Raiders jobs last year.
Carolina Panthers Could Lose Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero
Evero spent one year in the NFL as a player in 2004 before getting into coaching. In 2007, he had his first experience in the NFL as a defensive quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2011, he joined the San Francisco 49ers as their quality control coach.
He stayed in San Francisco under Jim Harbaugh through 2015, ranging from a defensive assistant to an offensive assistant. Then, in 2016, he joined the Green Bay Packers as their defensive quality control coach.
Finally, in 2017, he joined Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams as their safeties coach. He was their safeties coach from 2017 through 2020. In 2021, he was the Rams’ secondary coach and passing game coordinator.
Then, in 2022, he joined the Denver Broncos as their defensive coordinator before joining the Panthers in 2023.
Panthers Defense is Winning Despite Injuries
The Panthers are winning, and Evero is getting praise. However, the unit has been far from complete. They never had second-year edge rusher Nic Scourton, who tore his ACL in training camp. Then, they lost both cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson.
This week, they are expected to see starting defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton for the first time. Despite four premier starters missing the majority of the season. the defense is still above average in most areas.
Wharton is back now. Horn and Jackson should return this season. This could combine for the Panthers to finish the season even stronger, and eventually see Evero get real head coaching consideration.
If Evero does not leave this year it appears the question is when he will get a head coaching job and not if he will ever leave the Panthers.
Panthers Could Lose Rising Coach After Strong Start