New Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is bringing a 3-4 base defensive scheme with him from Denver.
The Panthers ran a 4-3 front last season.
“The reason why we decided to go with it was because of Ejiro,” head coach Frank Reich said Wednesday, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “I was hiring the man, not the scheme. I was hiring the man; I was hiring the leader. That’s what I was hiring. It wasn’t as much about the scheme. He could coach any scheme he wanted. He’s going to be good at it. That was my take on that.”
Evero said the 3-4 allows the defense to disguise a fourth potential pass rusher, giving his unit an edge on the offense.
“You don’t know where that extra rusher is coming from,” Evero said. “It’s that extra level that the offense has to grow through to figure out what you’re doing.”
Evero is in the process of meeting with his new staff and evaluating the talent on the defense. Cornerback Jaycee Horn, one of the cornerstones, met with Evero on Tuesday.
While all the pieces aren’t in place yet, Evero knows how he wants his unit to play.
“Physical, great effort and attacking the ball,” Evero said of his philosophy.
In 2022, his first year as a coordinator, Evero’s Broncos finished seventh in yards allowed and 14th in points allowed.