Regarding the firing of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and the promotion of Todd Wash, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wants to tell the story that it's about stopping the run.
After doing my research, the already great pass coverage could take a major leap under Wash’s principles.
You have to flash back to 2020 to see the last time Wash was the head man of a defense with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Carolina Panthers' defensive shift could help the pass coverage greatly
During his last season as defensive coordinator, the Jaguars ranked 28th in success rate, 30th in EPA per play, 28th in takeaways, 30th in sack rate, and 20th in pressure rate. At the height of that defense, the “Sacksonville Jaguars” were so elite they almost dragged bottom-five major efficiency stats all the way to the Super Bowl.
The team was known for its unstoppable pass rush, boasting the second-best sack rate in the NFL and ranking fourth in pressure rate while allowing only 16 points per game.
Less advertised but still known was their amazing pass coverage, led by the bookend corners of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. The team ranked second in takeaways and only allowed 192 pass yards per game, the best mark in the NFL for the 2017 season.
The key to that success was the "Seattle 3" defense Wash carried over from his days under Pete Carroll.
The Jaguars ran the third-highest rate of Cover 3 behind only the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, coached by Dan Quinn. The Cover 3 rates may sound very familiar to what Ejiro Evero ran for Carolina fans, but the principles are different.
With long, physical corners in Bouye and Ramsey, the defense Wash called could press and be physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage. This helped the front seven, giving them a second longer to rush than usual, as jams from both corners disrupted route timing and quarterback drops. It contrasts with what Evero did, which allowed receivers to get free releases at the line.
Top down, keep everything in front is no more.
Will Lee III could be the biggest beneficiary of Todd Wash running the show
For a player like Will Lee III, who used his length and aggressiveness to jam receivers at the line in college, this is a welcome change.
Lee has balled at times this season, having seven pass breakups in only four games as a starter. The Texas A&M product has an 84.3 passer rating when targeted, which isn’t elite but is fifth best on the team among defensive backs.
The fourth-round pick has gotten some calls for being a tad too physical, and I could easily see him going uncalled if he were an established veteran. The biggest hiccup Lee has run into is how susceptible he's been to explosive plays.
As an off-coverage player, Lee has to read concepts as they develop and guess when and where the receiver will break. This has opened him up to double moves and back-breaking bombs downfield.
With Wash at the helm, being closer to the line and in the receiver's hip pocket will let Lee think less and play with more feel, as he did in college.
Lee will still see yellow laundry and will most likely see an uptick because of the emphasis on physicality in Wash’s scheme. Carolina is hoping that will balance out with more on-ball production and allow fewer bombs down the sideline.
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