What traits could make Carolina Panthers defense special under Ejiro Evero in 2023?

What traits could make the Carolina Panthers' defense become one of the league's most productive units under Ejiro Evero in 2023?

With all the hype surrounding quarterback Bryce Young, it's easy to get swept up and ignore how critical the Carolina Panthers' defense will be to the team's chances in 2023. This unit came on encouragingly under interim head coach Steve Wilks over the second half of the previous campaign, which could be a taste of what's to come for a young core coming of age at the same time.

Having the personnel is one thing, but the Panthers acquiring Ejiro Evero to be their new defensive coordinator is something else entirely. To say this was a major coup would be an understatement and cost team owner David Tepper the sort of money normally saved for NFL head coaches along the way.

Evero is bringing his blossoming reputation to Carolina for what will be a short stay if everything goes well. The progressive figure is widely projected to be an NFL head coach soon, which could come as early as 2024 if he gets a tune out of the Panthers' options.

Carolina Panthers defense will be fast and aggressive under Ejiro Evero

There are some concerns about the group heading into the campaign - most notably at cornerback and the edge rushing position opposite Brian Burns. Evero will have them fully prepared for every eventuality, but time will tell as to whether or not this steep transition in scheme implementation pays off when the regular season arrives.

Former NFL head coach Chuck Pagano provided a broader insight into what the Panthers fanbase can expect from Evero's defense in 2023 via The 33rd Team. Two big traits came up, with the system seemingly dependent on strong communication and controlled aggression.

"[Ejiro] Evero is all about fundamentals. He’s all about technique. With him, it’s all about communication. As is the case with any new staff, early on, you’re probably going to see that things will take some time. That was how it was in Denver last season when it took a little bit for the defense to get used to Evero calling the plays. But the Carolina guys will get used to it. The Panthers are going to play fast. They’re going to be aggressive. They’ll be sound. There will be a lot more zone coverage than man coverage, but he won’t be afraid to get after opposing teams when he has to."

- Chuck Pagano via The 33rd Team

Looking from the outside looking in, it seems as if Carolina's current personnel looks tailor-made for the traits Evero plans to install.

The likes of Burns, Frankie Luvu, Brandon Smith, Jeremy Chinn, and Jaycee Horn are renowned for flying around the field with reckless abandon. Experienced figures such as Shy Tuttle, Shaq Thompson, Vonn Bell, and Xavier Woods are sure to assist with the communication side of things.

The Panthers' defense should be enough to keep them in games. What comes after that is dependent on Young's ability to move the chains under center and whether Carolina can get enough points on the board.

It was a task too steep for the team more often than not under the previous regime. If Evero can get a little bit more out of his players and the offense also makes strides, the Panthers could genuinely take off and win the NFC South in 2023.