Dave Canales said the Panthers’ decision to move on from defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero came after “collecting a lot of information over the course of our time” and weighing what he believes the team needs right now.
Speaking Thursday after the firing, Canales said the choice was tied to the Panthers’ current spot in the division and his desire to get the most out of the roster while also building toward 2026.
“Ultimately-when I look at how many games we have in front of us, the position we're at in the division and really just wanted to get the most out of our guys.
“And really, making that decision, I take that responsibility very seriously as the head coach, and I know it's my responsibility to put the players in a position where they feel confident, where they feel ready to go.
“So, just took in a lot of information and came to this conclusion at this point, right now to be able to lay the groundwork for the style of football we wanna play.”
Canales acknowledged that owner David Tepper and general manager Dan Morgan were part of the conversation before the move was made.
The timing points directly to two rough performances that pushed the Panthers to this point. Last Sunday’s 43-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a beating on the ground and through the air, with Tampa Bay piling up nearly 260 combined rushing yards and three touchdowns while throwing the ball only 11 times.
Then on Thursday night in the 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Carolina couldn’t get consistent pressure. Even with the Panthers blitzing on nearly half of Green Bay’s dropbacks, Jordan Love was not sacked and wasn’t hit once.
When asked what he wants to see now, Canales focused on connection and execution.
“Just wanna see the guys connected,” he replied. “I just wanna see them excited about going out there and executing the plan.
And playing fast, playing the physical brand. And the effort's been there.
Those things are right. But I know that we can make strides with being able to get everybody on the same page, tying in the whole unit.”
He also said his defensive philosophy begins with the ground game.
“And for me, philosophically speaking it starts with the run game. It starts with owning first and second down, and being able to be aggressive and attack in different ways.”
Todd Wash, Carolina’s defensive line coach since 2023, will serve as the interim defensive coordinator.
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For a roster trying to survive injuries and patchwork depth, those evaluations matter because they point to more than just one rough afternoon. They show which pieces were able to function in a difficult setup and which areas still need help, especially on a defense that was already stretched at cornerback. The grades do not change the loss, but they do sharpen the picture of who the Panthers can lean on as the season keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
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The Panthers made a significant defensive change this week, parting ways with Ejiro Evero and turning the unit over to Todd Wash on an interim basis. Wash brings plenty of NFL experience with him, including past stops as a defensive coordinator with the Jaguars and work as a defensive line coach for multiple teams, while Carolina also widened AC Carters responsibilities in the shuffle.
For a defense that has struggled to find its footing, the move signals urgency as much as it does a fresh start. The coaching staff is being reorganized beyond the coordinator spot, too, with Jonathan Cooley released as the Panthers try to reset a group that has not produced the kind of consistency the organization needs. The biggest question now is whether the new structure can stabilize the unit quickly enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Biggest Problem
The Panthers moved quickly after their Week 8 loss to the Packers, parting ways with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley in a clear sign that the defense had become the teams most urgent problem. Carolina pointed to the units struggles against the run and the steady stream of points it has allowed, making the changes less about one bad afternoon than a broader breakdown that had been building for weeks.
Todd Walsh will step in as interim defensive coordinator beginning in Week 9, giving the Panthers a new voice in charge of a defense that has been under heavy scrutiny. For a team trying to stabilize its season, the move puts the spotlight on whether a midstream reset can fix the issues that have been dragging the roster down and whether the front office is prepared to keep making changes if the response does not come quickly. [Read more 🡒]