Filling Panthers HC Dave Canales’ coaching staff: Carolina hires 3 coordinators

Head coach Dave Canales and GM Dan Morgan want “dawgs” on the Carolina Panthers’ roster. But after the exodus of seven notable offensive coaches from last season’s staff, they also need to add teachers to the mix as well.

Just one week after being introduced to media and fans in Charlotte, Canales has found his three main coordinators.

On Thursday, the Panthers officially announced the retention of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The team also officially hired offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and special teams coordinator Tracy Smith. Idzik and Smith both worked with Canales during their shared Seattle days. Idzik also followed Canales to Tampa Bay to be the then-offensive coordinator’s wide receivers coach.

Here’s what we know about the Panthers’ coaching staff so far (check back for updates):

Panthers’ coaching staff: Who’s in

Below are the officially hired members of Canales’ staff:

▪ Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (retained)

▪ Brad Idzik, offensive coordinator (previous: wide receivers coach with Buccaneers)

▪ Tracy Smith, special teams coordinator (previous: assistant special teams coach with Seahawks)

▪ Harold Goodwin, assistant head coach/run game coordinator (previous: same position with Buccaneers)

▪ Rob Moore, wide receivers coach (previous: same position with Titans)

▪ Bernie Parmalee, running backs coach (previous: same position with Jaguars)

▪ Joe Gilbert, offensive line coach (previous: same position with Buccaneers)

Panthers’ coaching staff: Who’s out

Below are the coaches who have not been retained/found work elsewhere since Canales was hired:

▪ Chris Tabor, special teams coordinator

▪ Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (reportedly hired as Bears’ pass game coordinator)

▪ James Campen, offensive line coach

▪ John Lilly, tight ends coach

▪ Shawn Jefferson, wide receivers coach (reportedly hired as Jets’ wide receivers coach)

▪ Robert Kugler, assistant offensive line coach

▪ Devin Fitzsimmons, assistant special teams coach

On Canales’ coaching radar

Below are the reported candidate(s) for openings within Canales’ staff:

▪ Quarterbacks coach interview: Will Harriger, Cowboys’ quality control/offensive assistant (via NFL Network)

Holdovers in limbo

Below are the employed holdover staff members who have not officially been confirmed as retained:

▪ Todd Wash, defensive line coach

▪ Peter Hansen, linebackers coach

▪ Jonathan Cooley, cornerbacks coach

▪ Bert Watts, safeties coach

▪ Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach

▪ DeAngelo Hall, assistant defensive backs coach

▪ Dom Capers, senior defensive assistant coach

▪ Mike Bercovici, offensive assistant coach

▪ Mayur Chaudhari, defensive assistant coach

▪ Bobby Maffei, defensive quality control coach

This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 5:30 AM.

Alex Zietlow

The Charlotte Observer

Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22. Support my work with a digital subscription

Mike Kaye

The Charlotte Observer

Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription