The Carolina Panthers are a different operation these days. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are taking the franchise to heights not seen for years. And they are already making the moves needed to keep this upstart organization on an upward trajectory.
Winning the NFC South and pushing the Los Angeles Rams right to the limit in their wild-card round playoff game was inevitably going to come with interest from elsewhere. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has received three requests for head-coaching interviews. Assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici was also in high demand, with the Washington Commanders targeting him to be their next quarterbacks coach.
The NFC East club eventually selected D.J. Williams, the son of legendary former Washington quarterback Doug Williams. And a new report suggests the Panthers took decisive action to retain Bercovici's services.
Carolina Panthers take swift measures to keep promiising coach Mike Bercovici around
According to Jordan Schultz, the Panthers are promoting Bercovici to the pass-game coordinator role. This is an elevated position for the up-and-comer, who is highly thought of in the building. The NFL insider also revealed that he is viewed as a future offensive coordinator candidate around the league.
"The Panthers are promoting assistant QBs coach Mike Bercovici to the pass-game coordinator role. Bercovici recently interviewed for the Commanders' QBs coach job but will now stay in Carolina in an elevated role, as the Panthers maintain offensive continuity coming off an NFC South division title. The 32-year-old is viewed as a future OC candidate in league circles."Jordan Schultz
This is a masterstroke from Canales. Whether the Commanders would have gone with Williams regardless is anyone's guess. The Panthers were not going to take that chance, and Bercovici will now be part of the team's future next year at the very least.
It's a testament to the value of Bercovici's unheralded influence behind the scenes. He was among the very few offensive staff members retained from Frank Reich's staff. And he quickly became an integral force with a flourishing reputation across the league.
The allure of Washington was real, especially considering he'd worked with superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels previously during their time together at Arizona State. The Panthers offered him a promotion and a likely larger say in the game's schematic planning from week to week. That is a shrewd move that will only help Bryce Young develop further in Year 4 of his professional career.
Just how much longer Bercovici stays with the Panthers is anyone's guess. This is the latest stepping stone en route to being a play-caller, and he's not going to turn down that chance if, or when, it comes along. Until then, Carolina took the necessary steps to benefit from his expertise, and it's another example of how well the football side is being run under the current regime.
Canales won't be able to do anything about Evero leaving if the coordinator gets a head-coaching job. But promoting Bercovici kept some much-needed stability at a crucial time.
A very smart decision indeed.