Jeff Bottari / Getty Images
The Carolina Panthers did not want to attend lengthy after Ejiro Evero was obtainable to get him as their defensive coordinator, agreeing to phrases with the 42-year-old to the identical place. Evero served as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos for only one season after getting employed by Nathaniel Hackett final yr.
Once Hackett was fired, that freed Evero to pursue different alternatives — even when he was nonetheless below contract by the Broncos. Denver employed Sean Payton to be its head coach final week, and launched Evero from his deal after Payton determined to enter one other route for the Broncos defensive coordinator.
Evero got here in excessive demand instantly after being launched from his contract, because the Panthers and Minnesota Vikings have been curious about brining him on as their defensive coordinator. Evero labored with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell with the Los Angeles Rams, making the transfer to Carolina a little bit of a shock.
Evero was considered one of 9 coaches who interviewed for the Panthers head teaching job earlier than Reich bought it, however has some connections to Carolina. Dom Capers was a senior defensive assistant on Evero’s workers final yr with the Broncos (Capers was the pinnacle coach in Carolina when Reich was there) and Evero was on the San Francisco 49ers workers below Vic Fangio (who was the defensive coordinator for the 1995 Panthers).
The Fangio model of protection is all of the rave in right now’s NFL, as Evero rises up the teaching ranks. The Broncos completed seventh in yards allowed and 14th in factors allowed below Evero, regardless of ending lifeless final in factors per sport final season. Denver completed seventh in factors per possession allowed below Evero (1.72) and third in yards per possession allowed (27.4). The Broncos additionally completed twelfth in cross yards per sport allowed and tenth in rush yards per sport allowed, a balanced protection regardless of the constraints on offense.
Carolina has its first main coordinator rent below Reich with Evero. Detroit Lions assistant head coach and former NFL working again Duce Staley is reportedly going to Carolina in an unspecified position.
