The Carolina Panthers are expected to be dependent on their offense this season, making their preseason loss to the Houston Texans sting. The first team unit looked lethargic against Will Anderson Jr. and a star-powered defense, and things didn't get much better after that.
In the wake of a loss that had Dave Canales looking demoralized, there were few silver linings to be gleaned. The Panthers’ defense is in a developmental phase, but Ejiro Evero’s unit did flash at points. Christian Rozeboom had a sack in the red zone, and the presence of Derrick Brown was felt for the first time in a game since Week 1 of 2024.
The defensive front set the tone immediately, holding Nick Chubb to a two-yard gain on the first play of the game and an eventual Texans three-and-out. Still, from the start of the game, struggles were apparent, and this came after Evero was already feeling the heat.
Ejiro Evero might need a miracle to turn Carolina Panthers' defense around
The Panthers' defensive coordinator expressed to reporters that he was not fully confident he would be returning to the team in 2025.
"We understand what we signed up for and it’s a production business. We don’t do well and that’s always an opportunity to happen. I don’t worry about that. I do the best I can. Pour into our guys, pour into our staff and that’s all you can do."Ejiro Evero via Panthers.com
Besides Jaycee Horn, the Panthers are relying on a platoon of undrafted free agents and journeymen at cornerback, and it shows. C.J. Stroud nearly opened the game with a 64-yard touchdown, but failed to connect with Nico Collins down the sideline. Shemar Bartholomew led all Panthers’ corners in snap count and looked like he was on roller skates when trying to go step for step with the Texans’ star.
Mike Jackson Sr. got beaten by Jayden Higgins. The rookie caught a ball that set the Texans up in scoring position. Canales did praise Corey Thornton. The highly physical undrafted free agent has impressed reporters at training camp, but he still seems like a long shot.
The secondary is not the only concern, as soon as Brown came out of the game, the Panthers gave up a touchdown. The Panthers' starting linebackers were able to shed blocks, but Chubb was trucking Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace with ease. The 29-year-old running back looked as good as he has since his 2022 All-Pro season, paving the way for a Texans’ touchdown.
The Texans are one of the most talented teams in the NFL. On Saturday, they were better than the Panthers in all phases. That's a problem for Evero.
The Panthers are coming off a hot end to the 2024 season, but a lack of talent on defense could put hopes of a winning record on pause. Perhaps, the greatest casualty could be Evero, who is already fighting an uphill battle.