Carolina Panthers' best Ejiro Evero replacement just fell into Dave Canales' lap

The Carolina Panthers' defense is trying to navigate some severe turbulence right now. Ejiro Evero's unit looked under-strength before the campaign after general manager Dan Morgan transitioned their investment to the offensive side of the football to get a genuine evaluation of Bryce Young. The quarterback was benched after two games, which made this whole experiment almost worthless.

Evero is paying the price. The coordinator is dealing with significant injury issues after losing stud defensive lineman Derrick Brown and veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson for the entire campaign. He's once again forced to mold his scheme around guys who would barely make rosters elsewhere. He was convinced to stick around by head coach Dave Canales as part of his ambitious plans. He might be regretting that decision now.

After coming close to securing head coaching jobs over the last two years, Evero will once again draw interest in the 2025 cycle. Whether Carolina's failings defensively despite the mitigating circumstances attached go against him when push comes to shove remains to be seen.

The Panthers should be drawing up contingency plans in the event Evero gets another gig elsewhere. A situation could also emerge where this relationship breaks down and both parties go their separate ways without the promise of a promotion. Fortunately for the franchise, the perfect replacement just fell in Canales' lap.

Carolina Panthers should target Robert Saleh if Ejiro Evero departs in 2025

In a bombshell move to start the week, the New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start to the season. This sent shockwaves through the league and took everyone - including the coach - by surprise. Owner Woody Johnson stated it's something he'd been contemplating for some time, which indicates there were some underlying factors attached that eventually led to his dismissal.

"This is one of most talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets. I wanted to give this team the most opportunity to win this season. I feel that we had to go in a different direction and that's why I did that today. The change we made, I made, I believe will bring new energy and positivity that will lead to more wins starting now."

- Woody Johnson via NFL.com

Although startling, it's typical of the Jets' dysfunction. This is something Panthers fans can relate to throughout David Tepper's ownership. However, Canales might see this as an opportunity if Evero departs for greener pastures.

Canales knows Saleh well from their time working together on quality control with the Seattle Seahawks. There is a deep mutual respect between the two. They spoke glowingly of one another before joint practice throughout the summer. This also represents an immediate avenue back into work in a prominent role following his hasty departure from MetLife Stadium.

Bringing Saleh in during the 2024 season would cause significant complications. It undermines Evero and has the scope to cause even more confusion. If the Panthers are looking for a new defensive coordinator after the campaign for one reason or another, this looks like a top candidate to fill the void.

A lot can and will happen between now and then. But it's something to keep in mind in the event Evero gets a head coaching job or the Panthers decide a fresh start is needed.

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