The Carolina Panthers are firmly focused on the playoffs, which isn't typical at this time of year. Beating the Los Angeles Rams is all that matters right now, and anything related to the offseason plans is on the back burner.
One major topic of discussion will come up once the Panthers are out of playoff contention. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's contract is up for renewal, and his name has not yet come up in requests for head coaching interviews. There is still time for that to change, but the likelihood seems low.
Evero could explore other employment opportunities. He could stay with the Panthers if the interest is mutual. And based on head coach Dave Canales' comments about the defensive growth, it sure sounds like he wouldn't mind the coordinator sticking around.
Dave Canales praises Carolina Panthers' defensive turnaround under Ejiro Evero
Canales praised the work Evero and his staff have accomplished this season. He believes they've shown tremendous character and resolve to find the right solutions. And they've also done a wonderful job of integrating the new faces into his system, making the Panthers a more cohesive unit along the way.
"First and foremost, just talking about Ejiro [Evero] and just the excellent job that he's done. And with the challenges of last year, what I saw from him was consistency, character, looking for solutions, and looking for ways to try to just deploy the guys that we have. We added some great pieces. And Ejiro and the defensive staff have been tireless just bringing these guys together and then the players have taken a lot of that on their own and do the extra work, have the conversation so that they play connected."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
It's not perfect; not by any stretch of the imagination. But the consistency compared to last season is night and day.
The Panthers kept faith with Evero last offseason, even as most fans were calling for his head. They were convinced that when the personnel improved, his 3-4 base system would come alive. Their courage has been rewarded, and it went a long way toward Carolina finally getting into the knockout rounds.
Keeping continuity might be preferable unless the Panthers have someone better in mind. Evero hasn't given any indication, one way or another, about his plans. Discussions will take place after Carolina's playoff run ends, but with several other teams seeking new defensive coordinators, another opportunity could arise.
It'll be interesting to see how things play out. But Canales' ringing endorsement is the clearest sign yet that Evero will get another contract if he wants it.