Panthers news: Bryce Young, Ejiro Evero, Jim Harbaugh and interviews
By Dean Jones
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Carolina Panthers DC Ejiro Evero in demand
Although head coaching interview requests from outside the organization haven't come Ejiro Evero's way as yet, the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator isn't without admirers. His sterling work in difficult circumstances this season dictated as much. But it appears as if David Tepper doesn't want to entertain the thought of losing the defensive coordinator.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Jacksonville Jaguars requested to interview Evero for their newly vacant defensive coordinator position. As expected - especially after Tepper's recent drink-throwing incident - the inquiry was rejected by the Panthers.
#Panthers have blocked #Jaguars’ request to interview DC Ejiro Evero for Jacksonville’s coordinator job, per league sources. Carolina plans to interview Evero for its head coaching position.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 10, 2024
Evero led Panthers’ fourth-ranked total defense despite Carolina’s NFL-worst offense.
As previously mentioned, Evero will be interviewed for Carolina's top job in the not-too-distant future. If he doesn't get it, Fowler believes that the Panthers to keep him on staff to work with a new offensive-minded head coach.
"The sense leaguewide is Carolina would love to find a way to get [Ben] Johnson, who interviewed there a year ago but opted out of all head-coaching opportunities. He will have better options than the Panthers, however. The majority of their nine coaching candidates are on the offensive side, and Baltimore's Todd Monken is the only one from that group above the age of 42. A young offensive mind is clearly on the table. Pairing one with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and an analytical-and-cap-based GM makes sense. Five of their eight initial GM candidates come from that ilk."
- Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
It'll be interesting to see how things play out for Evero. Looking at his overall contribution without a full-strength unit at any stage in 2023, retaining him with the new head coach's approval makes a ton of sense.