Eric Washington curiously keeping position as Panthers DC

This is certainly an interesting announcement on the part of the Panthers.

The Carolina Panthers made an intriguing announcement on Friday, one that may divide some Panther fans. According to multiple media reports, coach Eric Washington will keep the title of defensive coordinator. This news was first reported by Jordan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer.

If there is one caveat to the role, it is that Washington will serve the role he took over at the end of the 2018 season. Head coach Ron Rivera will still call the plays. Steve Taranto of 247Sports has an interesting excerpt in his article. I will just say that I disagree with it, but everybody has a right to their opinion.

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In his first year as defensive coordinator, Washington found himself in the middle of several misfortunes: For one, Washington was the third defensive coordinator the Panthers had in three seasons, as the Panthers’ success had led to a plundering of their coaching staff for prestigious jobs elsewhere. And for another, the Panthers’ defense had grown old and did not have many young depth pieces to help replace the production that veteran players once had.

For starters, let me say that all the things he mentions may have been true. The Panthers were old and they did not have enough depth at some positions. That was noticeable in several games particularly against good passing teams. This is certainly something the Panthers need to correct in the off-season if they want to contend in 2019. The National Football League as a whole is trending toward being more of a passing league.

However, there were times where Washington’s play calls looked like he was lost out there. Games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants were testaments that. The Panthers defense did not play fundamentally sound football, and part of that responsibility falls on the defensive coordinator. Now let me say this, it is the player’s job to perform. In many instances, they Carolina Panthers defense did not do that particularly when it came to the pass rush. However, there were fundamental flaws within the defense that prevented the Panthers from being successful. Most notably, the lack of aggression and lack of sacking the quarterback were two of the biggest things that hampered them.

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This is good news for Eric Washington as he gets to keep his job title. I wonder what it will entail. Maybe he will suggest plays while Ron Rivera has the final say? This whole defensive coordinator situation is confusing, and I wonder how it is going to play out. At a coaching position that may see some turnover, it appears that Eric Washington will stay. For better or for worse, we will have to wait and see.

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