After major defensive upgrades this offseason, the Carolina Panthers expected an immediate return on their investment. Unfortunately, Ejiro Evero's unit floundered to laughable new levels in Week 1, piling instant pressure on the play-caller to put things right.
It's easy to overreact to Week 1, for good or bad. The Panthers gave up 552 total yards and 59 points to the Chicago Bears in an embarrassing defeat, and while the players also need to hold themselves accountable, the defensive coordinator must also carry the can.
Some fans wanted fresh ideas after Evero led a historically bad defense in 2024. That moribund group conceded the most single-season points in NFL history, but it didn't stop the Panthers from giving him a contract extension.
Ejiro Evero is on the back foot already after woeful Carolina Panthers defensive display
They kept it quiet, which said a lot. But now, it's taken one regular-season game for the knives to come out again.
The Bears' offense seized the initiative, especially on the ground. They bullied Carolina in the trenches, with missed tackles and poor positioning leading to 291 rushing yards and six combined touchdowns on the ground.
A complete capitulation in every sense of the term.
It was unacceptable, to put it mildly. Evero can only do so much in this instance, and the players need to show more resolve and personal pride when things aren't going in their favor.
Somehow, the Panthers kept it close. They can thank Brad Idzik's offense and quarterback Bryce Young for that, but when Carolina had the chance to get off the field and build momentum in a key moment, Evero once again went to his soft zone with defensive backs playing way off coverage.
And it wasn't the first time it was exposed during his tenure.
Carolina Panthers players let Ejiro Evero down, but he was outcoached by Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson had the look of a man who knew what was coming. Evero tried to disguise coverages, but everyone on the boundary sitting relatively deep was a big giveaway. The Bears got the upper hand, and that was the end.
Some fans are rapidly losing faith in Evero. The Panthers remain confident in his capabilities and believe his 3-4 base concepts can work. But now that everything is seemingly in place after significant defensive reinforcements this offseason, the excuses are wearing thin.
Patience will run out at some point.
Evero needs his players to execute better. He needs them to do their jobs and stop making sloppy individual errors. There were far too many of these instances against the Bears, but he is clearly not without blame either.
Bouncing back is crucial. With the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns up next, there is a good chance to right this wrong. Anything less, and Evero's seat is going to go from lukewarm to scalding in a hurry.
This will sting, of course. But there is a long way to go and a lot of football left for Evero and his defense to turn things around.
If he cannot, it won't just affect his future head-coaching prospects.
He may lose his job in Carolina.
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