The Carolina Panthers are anxiously awaiting developments after defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero completed his second interview with the Las Vegas Raiders for their vacant head-coaching job. And if he does enough to get the gig, head coach Dave Canales needs to take decisive action.
Carolina cannot afford to lose any momentum after making some strides in 2025. Evero masterminded some encouraging defensive enhancements that the Panthers always believed were possible once the personnel improved. However, this has also come with more alluring glances from around the league.
The Atlanta Falcons met with Evero before making Kevin Stefanski their next head coach. He also spoke virtually with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are now devising their list of candidates to schedule for in-person interviews. The Raiders seem the most keen, with Carolina's coordinator traveling to Las Vegas to meet in person with those in power.
Carolina Panthers must consider promoting Jonathan Cooley if Ejiro Evero departs
It's a waiting game for the Panthers. Evero's future is out of their hands for now, although he will be back if he's unsuccessful after signing an extension before the 2025 campaign. If the Raiders or Steelers take the plunge, contingencies must be put in place quickly.
There is a strong candidate in-house who deserves consideration. Evero would probably like to take Jonathan Cooley to his next destination if he gets the chance, but the Panthers may decide to give him a deserved promotion in pursuit of keeping him around.
Cooley is on the ascent, joining the Panthers as a secondary/defensive backs coach before moving to defensive pass game coordinator. His work with Jaycee Horn saw him become a two-time Pro Bowler. His ability to get more out of Mike Jackson Sr. has given Carolina a powerful 1-2 punch at cornerback that made a significant difference throughout the campaign.
The natural step up for Cooley will be moving to a defensive coordinator role in Carolina or elsewhere. He's gaining a strong reputation around the league. However, he's also got a strong connection with Evero that began with the Los Angeles Rams and was rekindled with the Panthers.
With several other clubs looking for new defensive coordinators, the Panthers will hope Evero doesn't do enough to land the Raiders' job. He'll be a head coach one day, but another year in Carolina represents a win for Canales. Some fans hold a different opinion, but the growth from 2024's historically bad campaign cannot be denied.
If the Raiders are convinced, Canales could get ahead of Evero by promoting Cooley. This maintains continuity while also avoiding the struggle of getting involved in the defensive coordinator sweepstakes currently transpiring around the NFL.