The Carolina Panthers' defense took a significant leap this season after an overhaul of talent from the draft and free agency. But all is not what it seems.
Most teams would be excited by the development and dream of how they can continue to rise. Yet Carolina may face a different outlook, as defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season concludes.
Evero has done an exceptional job turning the worst defense of all time (not a joke) into a very pesky and respectable unit. Still, with a closer look, you can find inconsistencies in his group that have plagued him since his first season in Carolina.
Carolina Panthers and Ejiro Evero are heading for an offseason collision course
The first inconsistency in Evero's defense has been his pass coverage units. In 2023, they ranked third in fewest passing yards allowed per game at 171.8. In 2024, they allowed the 10th-most passing yards in the NFL at 224 per game.
This jump is understandable considering the lack of talent he was handed going into 2024. But in 2025, he still hasn't reached the heights of his first season, coming in at 16th league-wide with 215 passing yards allowed per game.
The pass defense isn’t the only up-and-down Evero has experienced, either. He has ranked all over the board in rushing yards allowed per game in his three seasons in Charlotte. Ranking 10th most per game in 2023 at 122, most allowed per game in 2024 at 179, and now 16th per game in 2025 at 116.
It isn't good, but a lot of it can be attributed to not having the talent or the fits for his 3-4 system. With additions to the front seven, the run defense has taken a major leap. It makes you question how high he could take the Panthers' defense with fewer weaknesses.
The worst part of Evero's time in Carolina has been his pass rush. The Panthers have ranked dead last in pressure in all three seasons under his guidance. They also ranked in the bottom five in sacks, never reaching higher than 32 in a single season. The talent excuse is there, but when you see players like Brian Burns struggle in his system, then leave and rack up the second-most sacks in the NFL thus far, questions must be asked.
David Tepper signed Evero to a three-year, $3 million-per-year deal in 2023. That placed him at the top of the league for coordinators at the time. Since then, successes have been far and few between.
With his contract ending, does head coach Dave Canales still value him as he did before his stint, and does he still believe Evero can be the guy?
Time will tell. But there's another side to this coin.
Does Evero even want to be back?
Two (possibly three) losing seasons and a lackluster talent pool to work with have essentially killed his name in head-coaching circles. Does Evero want to sign a new deal? Did his time here hurt his personal career more than help? Will the Panthers be looking for a new minister of defense in 2026?
These are questions that aren’t asked enough but will soon be answered.