Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero drew head coach interviews last year, and history could repeat itself. Carolina’s defense is one of the worst in the league, ranking below-average in just about every meaningful statistic. However, it’s hard to blame the defensive coordinator for the underwhelming results. Carolina entered the offseason with one of the worst rosters in football and, understandably, invested most of their resources on the offensive side of the ball. While they built an environment capable of supporting first-overall pick Bryce Young, they did it at the expense of the defense.
After trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants, the Panthers lost superstar defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a season-ending injury in Week 1. A coach’s job is to put their players in a position to succeed, but there simply isn’t enough talent on the roster to expect any results. Head coach Dave Canales recently said that he expects Ejiro Evero to receive head coaching interviews once again and also spoke on what makes him such a valuable part of any organization.
“It’s echoing all through the building. It’s just the fundamentals and not backing off of those things. If we can keep the principles the same and our messaging simple, then the guys have somethign that they can really grasp into.”
Ejiro Evero Could Leave Panthers For Head Coaching Opportunity
For the sake of argument, let’s assume that Dave Canales is correct and Ejiro Evero receives a few job interviews. As of this posting, the Jets, Saints, and Bears have already fired their respective head coaches and will be looking for someone new to lead their organizations in 2025. However, these won’t be the only openings, as teams like the Jaguars, Giants, Raiders, Patriots, Titans, Bengals, and Cowboys could all look for a new head coach in the upcoming offseason.
Nobody will have Ejiro Evero atop their head coach wishlist. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson looks like the NFL’s next great young genius, and a proven head coach like Mike Vrabel should draw plenty of interest in the upcoming hiring cycle. However, there aren’t enough coaches like that to go around, so someone will have to settle for the second or third choice. Looking around the league, the New Orleans Saints feel like the most probable fit for the Panthers defensive coordinator.
Familiarity in New Orleans
Objectively speaking, the Saints are one of the least desirable landing spots for a new head coach. Trapped in salary cap hell, the next leader of the organization will likely inherit Derek Carr, a financial mess, and an organization that refuses to rebuild. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has gotten more out of this team than former head coach Dennis Allen, but he hasn’t done enough to earn the full-time job. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, meanwhile, has shown promise as a bright offensive mind, but if New Orleans thought he was head coach material, then why did the interim job go to Rizzi?
The Saints will probably hire from outside the organization, and it’s hard to envision a world where the team lands someone like Johnson or Vrabel. While offensive coaches are generally more in demand, the Saints could pivot and target a defensive mind. Seeing as they’re not in a position to draft an early quarterback, Ejiro Evero could retain Kubiak as offensive coordinator and focus on building this defense. There are some talented pieces on the roster, and someone like Evero should be able to bring out the best in this unit.
Main Photo: Isaiah J. Downing – USA Today Sports
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