Panthers News: Bryce Young, Jaycee Horn, Cam Newton and Ejiro Evero
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers 3-4 defense under Ejiro Evero
Watching how the Carolina Panthers' transition to a 3-4 base defensive scheme under Ejiro Evero will be one of the biggest factors to keep an eye on throughout training camp at Wofford College. The progressive coach comes into the franchise with a big reputation, so expectations couldn't be higher about this group emerging as a dominant force in 2023.
There are some defensive questions that must be answered before Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons gets here. The Panthers need to cement their edge rushing option opposite Brian Burns and those within the cornerback room must also alleviate doubts by imposing themselves in Spartanburg.
Although there promise to be multiple alignments depending on the situation and a lot of versatility across the unit, Darin Gantt from the team's website highlighted the overlooked need behind Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu at the middle linebacker position that could be addressed at some stage.
"While we haven't seen this defense in pads yet, [Ejiro] Evero's reputation is for tailoring his scheme to the talent on hand. In OTAs and minicamp, you could get some hints of the way they're trying to manufacture some pressure. They have a couple of guys in Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn who might not fit the traditional positional molds at their positions but can make plays. So they're going to move around and do some different things. Speaking of Luvu, they're also not particularly deep at inside linebacker behind him and Shaq Thompson. That's another position they're keeping an eye on, and it's easier to find veterans at that spot at reasonable rates."
-Â Darin Gantt, Panthers.com
This isn't exactly the greatest endorsement for second-year-pro Brandon Smith, who looks to be a player under enormous pressure heading into camp. There is no room for sentiment when it comes to NFL roster building and the Panthers have more than enough salary cap space to find another productive option if they choose.