The Carolina Panthers moved fast after their Thursday night loss to Green Bay, making a pair of coaching changes in less than 12 hours.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley are both out, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reporting Evero’s departure on Friday morning. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo later confirmed Cooley was also let go. In the meantime, Carolina elevated defensive line coach Todd Wash to handle defensive play-calling.
Evero had been in charge of the defense since 2023, but the unit’s recent slide pushed the Panthers to make a change. His exit still caught plenty of people off guard, especially after he interviewed for the Raiders’ head coaching job just last offseason.
The numbers tell the story of a defense that has not found its footing. Last season, Carolina finished 16th in total yards allowed and 15th in points allowed. This year, though, the group has struggled to hold up week after week.
That was on display again in the 43-13 loss that came before the shake-up. The Panthers needed a better showing against the Packers, but Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love kept the pressure on all night. Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, another rough outing for Carolina’s secondary and another hit to the coaching staff’s case.
Injuries have made the job even tougher. Carolina has already lost cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Will Lee III, thinning out the options in the secondary.
Even with the defensive issues piling up, the Panthers are still hanging around in the NFC South race. They’ve dropped two straight, but they remain tied for first in the division.
The next chance to steady things comes next Sunday, when Carolina hosts the Denver Broncos in Week 9. Walsh will be in charge of the defense as the Panthers try to settle things down and keep the season from slipping away.
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