Breaking down Panthers’ defensive coaching staff: How Ejiro Evero built impressive group
The Carolina Panthers’ coaching staff is nearly complete.
While the offensive grouping of coaches has fans excited about the future on that side of the ball, the defensive staff — largely arranged by new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero — is also quite impressive.
New head coach Frank Reich hired Evero following his successful one-year stint with the Denver Broncos last season. While Denver struggled mightily on offense, Evero’s unit was a stand-out bunch.
With Evero now heading to Carolina, the new defensive coordinator has brought along some familiar faces and notable names for the journey ahead.
Ejiro Evero — Defensive Coordinator
Evero, 42, enters his second season as an NFL defensive coordinator. Although the Broncos were an abject disaster last season, Evero’s group shined for the most part. The Broncos’ defense ranked seventh in yardage allowed and 14th in points allowed last year. In 17 games, opposing offenses scored 20 or more points just eight times against Evero’s Denver defense.
Evero will now lead a Panthers defense that is highlighted by pass rusher Brian Burns, defensive tackle Derrick Brown, linebacker Frankie Luvu and cornerback Jaycee Horn. Reich said Tuesday that the Panthers will run a base 3-4 scheme with a wide variety of fronts in sub-package plays.
Evero’s background as a defensive backs coach should also help a secondary that was influx for the majority of former head coach Matt Rhule’s tenure.
Dom Capers — Senior Defensive Assistant
The first head coach in Panthers history has returned to Charlotte. Capers, a veteran head coach and defensive coordinator, will reunite with both Reich and Evero this season. Capers, 72, coached Reich during the Panthers’ inaugural season, and he has worked with Evero during stops in Denver and Green Bay.
With Evero still getting accustomed to the defensive coordinator job, Capers can serve as a sounding board and mentor for the young play-caller. Capers has experience at all levels of a coaching staff, so his influence could help the entire group under Evero’s watch.
Todd Wash — Defensive Line Coach
Wash, 54, made a lateral move — leaving the Detroit Lions for a similar job with the Panthers. The former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator has been around the NFL for more than a decade and has a history of getting the most out of his EDGE rushers.
Wash has developed the likes of Yannick Ngakoue and Aidan Hutchinson during his career as a defensive line coach. He is known for being a hard-nosed, old-school defensive line coach who holds his players accountable. The Lions played poorly on defense last season, so Wash is likely looking to bounce back with Brown and Burns as centerpieces.
Peter Hansen — Linebackers Coach
Hansen, 43, spent last season with Evero in Denver. During his brief time with the Broncos, Hansen guided veteran linebacker Alex Singleton to a career year. The 6-foot-8 coach will certainly stick out in training camp as he will hover over the majority of the players on the field.
Given their experience together, Hansen knows what Evero wants out of the inside linebacker position. Hansen will be tasked with coaching up last year’s fourth-round pick Brandon Smith, among others. The Panthers’ linebacker room is likely to see some turnover this offseason given the team’s salary cap situation and an adjustment in scheme.
Tem Lukabu — Outside Linebackers Coach
After a three-year stint as Boston College’s defensive coordinator, Lukabu is returning to the NFL. Lukabu, 41, previously served as a defensive assistant for a couple of NFL franchises before posting a one-year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals as a linebackers coach.
Lukabu’s title implies that he and Hansen will work together on the field but separately in position rooms. In hybrid defenses, the off-the-ball (or hook) linebackers have different responsibilities than the stand-up EDGE rushers and OTTO/SAM linebackers. Lukabu would seemingly handle the latter group, while Hansen works with the MIKE and WILL positions.
Jonathan Cooley — Defensive Backs/Cornerbacks Coach
As he did in Denver, Evero will have two separate secondary coaches in Carolina. Cooley, who worked with Evero in Los Angeles with the Rams, will coach up the cornerbacks this year. Cooley did an excellent job with long-armed cornerback Jalen Ramsey in L.A., and he could have similar success with Horn, who has similar length, toughness and football intelligence.
Along with Horn, Cooley will look to get an injured Donte Jackson back on track. C.J. Henderson and Keith Taylor will also gain a new perspective under Cooley, who has worked with defensive backs of all shapes and sizes during his NFL career.
Bert Watts — Defensive Backs/Safeties Coach
Watts, a longtime college coach, spent last season in Denver with Evero and Hansen. However, Watts’ role with the Broncos was outside linebackers coach. Now, Watts will transition to the safeties coach spot and work with Xavier Woods and Jeremy Chinn.
Watts’ background with linebackers should help him with Chinn, who is likely to be used as more of a “rover” player in Evero’s scheme. Chinn is at his best as a movable chess piece at the line of scrimmage, and Watts — along with Hansen — can work to make the most out of his skill set. The Panthers are also likely to add to this group in free agency and the draft.
On a side note, Watts is the uncle of Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble.
DeAngelo Hall — Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
The Panthers made a surprise hire on Saturday night, adding Hall — a former Pro Bowl cornerback — to the staff. Hall played 14 seasons in the NFL, and now he will share his knowledge with a young group in the secondary.
Hall should have immediate credibility with the locker room and rest of the staff. He will work with Watt and Cooley to get the most out of the defensive backs on the Panthers’ roster.
