When the Panthers needed a jolt on defense, their inside linebackers have been the ones providing it.
That showed up immediately last Sunday in Philadelphia, where Bobby Okereke wasted no time making life miserable for Tanner McKee. On the opening snap, Okereke slipped through the protection and dropped the Eagles quarterback for an 11-yard loss before McKee could really get settled into his third NFL start.
Then, on second-and-21, McKee’s first throw of the day hit Okereke’s hands and fell incomplete. Philadelphia’s possession ended in a three-and-out.
It was a fitting snapshot of what has powered Carolina’s recent climb. Winners of two straight, the Panthers have leaned hard on Okereke and Devin Lloyd, a pair that has given defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero something his base 3-4 alignment had largely lacked over the past three-plus seasons: high-end play at inside linebacker.
Even with a slow start, Lloyd and Okereke entered Week 7 as the league’s top-rated inside linebackers in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.
“We're certainly happy with the performance of Devin and Bobby,” Evero said during Thursday's teleconference. “They're just football junkies.
“Smart guys ... tough guys ... playmakers.”
Okereke had his own way of describing the pairing.
“If I’m Black Panther, maybe he’s freakin Green Lantern or something ... Captain America,” Okereke told FOX Sports Radio1340.
The difference they’re making is easy to trace. Evero has spent his time in Carolina, starting in 2023, trying to find the right mix at inside linebacker.
That first season ended with a 2-15 record for an undermanned roster. In the next one, the unit was battered by injuries and had to rely on fourth- and fifth-string players late in the year, and the defense gave up an all-time league-worst 534 points.
That run didn’t do Evero any favors when it came to head coaching buzz. But with Lloyd and Okereke anchoring the middle, there’s a path back for him if this defense keeps ascending.
Through five games, the results have been strong. Lloyd leads the Panthers with 24 tackles, while Okereke is right behind him with 21. Lloyd has also posted a 93.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, the best mark among 75 qualified linebackers, and Okereke sits just behind him at 89.9.
The numbers match the eye test. Carolina’s defense has held its last two opponents under 50 rushing yards, and Evero said, “The defense again put it together,” after the Panthers’ latest stretch of improvement.
That’s a far cry from Week 1, when Chicago bulldozed Carolina for 291 rushing yards in a rout. Lloyd, who signed a three-year, $42 million deal last offseason, had a rough debut by PFF’s measure, finishing with a 31.9 overall grade despite piling up 13 tackles.
Since then, though, the fifth-year linebacker has settled in fast. Over his last four starts, Lloyd has produced two sacks, 10 pressures and an 83.7 pass-rush grade that ranks second among linebackers. His Week 2 performance against Atlanta jumped off the page: nine tackles, including seven solo, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, plus a sack and a stuff.
Together, Lloyd and Okereke have helped turn Carolina’s defense into a much sturdier unit. Since Week 2, the Panthers have allowed just 16 points per game, second best in the league over that span.
“I think it's just improvement on the fundamentals and techniques,” Evero said. “Each week they're gaining a better understanding of the system. We certainly had to adjust some things.”
Adding Lloyd and Okereke helped.
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