Mr. Scot

Rivera is more of a fanciful thought than anything else That said, I do think there's at least a half decent chance we have a different defensive coordinator next season, and there's more than one possibility as to how that might happen.

Don't know that he would, but it's an interesting thought. Person also said there's zero chance of Canales giving up his playcalling duties. But OC isn't necessarily the only job that might be available, especially if some of the current staff have other opportunities (or even simply aren't under contract). Lots of guys who lose head coaching jobs work their way back up from the bottom.

You have to figure that at the very least, he's going to get Rooney Rule interviews, possibly several. And again, all it takes is for one team to like him

Here's the text from Pelissero's piece... Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, 44: A former college safety at UC Davis who went to training camp with the Raiders, Evero has coached all three phases -- offense, defense and special teams -- and was well-regarded at each stop during his previous 17 NFL seasons, working under everyone from Vic Fangio to Dom Capers. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams and then got his first DC job in 2022 with the Broncos, whose defense was a bright spot in a frustrating season. Same with the Panthers' defense in 2023, before injuries decimated the unit last season. Evero's defense has improved this season (13th in scoring) on a Carolina team in the playoff hunt. He interviewed for eight head coaching jobs in the hiring cycles after the 2022 and 2023 seasons, earning second interviews with the Colts, Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks and Texans, and could be in the mix again. 2026 NFL head coach hiring cycle: 24 young candidates to know if you want another kick in the head, click the link and check out the first two names he mentions.

He was featured in Tom Pelissero's annual "Assistants on the Rise" article. And not as an honorable mention either. He's actually the sixth name listed.

I read it. The point he was making (via satiric exaggeration in this case) is that some folks on here who could choose to be happy and celebratory about winning games choose instead to grouse about Young and his stats. Would you deny that?

I think the idea would be to build that dominant line now but at the same time work on backfilling (most likely via the draft) with guys you believe can be future starters.

There's this Rivera guy I've heard of...

Same room? Strongly doubt it. Same starter?

Don't doubt it. No one really asked whether he thought Evero would still be here next season. If he were to get a head coaching job, we could be looking to build around a different scheme. That could be interesting.

Sure. Heck, I sometimes dream of being taller, younger, wealthier and better looking. So far, it's not going well

Wrong. Mike Remmers did indeed help us to our best season ever (including having some very good performances) but he also still needed to be replaced based especially on how the season ended. Those two statements are not mutually exclusive. They could be equally applied to other players, and this happens on an annual basis all over the league.. As far as Bryce, based on everything I'm reading what "I want" has become largely inconsequential. All indications are that what I wrote that I expected after the Rams game (i.e. Bryce will get his fifth year option) is pretty much happening. Joe Person called it "an easy decision" at this point. The future beyond that is, as the song goes, still unwritten. But the near future looks to be fairly settled.

I don't think we'd absolutely have to, but I'd support it if we did.

From everything I'm reading...don't hold your breath.

It happens... I'd still like him for one more year but I grant the team may disagree.

As a starter, probably. I'd keep him as a backup, though.

I like Tremble. I'd have to agree Sanders looked better last year than he does now.

Basically, Geoff Hangartner part deux. Mays can back up the interior while Christensen backs up the tackles.

Carroll wouldn't necessarily be an "in game" presence (not in my scenario anyway) just someone to offer a little guidance on certain things like offseason prep.

Linked here (Panthers Mailbag) and as always, subscription required. FYI: There were a few other answers (re: Dowdle, Mays) quoted in Juan's thread. I won't bother reposting them here. Just click on over here if you wanna look. (formatting / editing is my own, highlighting some things that the board has been talking about) ______________________________ Starting with the big one, what's gonna happen with Bryce: To be sure, it’s been a choppy season for the third-year quarterback. Every time you start thinking Young lacks the arm strength/size/fill-in-other-attribute to be the “guy,” as Dave Canales referred to him after Week 18 last season, he pulls off a Cam Newton-like performance (complete with a dab in Atlanta). ...while the Panthers would like to see more consistency, Young has continued to ascend, as Tilis put it. After ranking at or near the bottom statistically among QBs his first two seasons, Young is now closer to the middle of the pack. Just as importantly, with four games left, Young has already surpassed his win total (6) from his first two seasons. Then there’s the clutch factor: Five of Young’s seven victories have come on game-winning drives, and last week he surpassed Josh Allen as the youngest QB in NFL history (at 24 years and 128 days) with 11 game-winning drives. The decision to pick up Young’s fifth-year option before the May 1 deadline — at an estimated $26.5 million, per Over the Cap — is an easy one, considering the top 11, highest-paid QBs all are more than $50 million a year. The question is whether the Panthers want to make Young the next member of that $50M club, and if so, when? Canales, Dan Morgan and Tilis will weigh more than just the next four games, even if Young plays well and the Panthers end their seven-year playoff drought, when considering an extension. Young and the Panthers have taken another step forward this season. If that ascension continues in 2026, his payday is coming. ______________________________ Another questioner asked Person to describe current locker room culture: Like a lot of coaches in a new spot, Canales tried to bring in good “culture” guys to help him establish a standard of what’s expected in terms of effort and attitude. It helped that several were already here. Not coincidentally, three of them have been signed to extensions since Canales and Morgan arrived in January of last year: Derrick Brown, Horn and Hubbard. Horn’s growth as a leader and his recommitment to offseason training to try to avoid injuries have been striking. And Canales deserves credit for maintaining his energy and positivity despite slow starts in each of his two seasons. ... So are the Panthers winning because they have a good locker room or is the healthy locker room a product of the winning? It’s probably a combination. But moving on from veterans who were either bad teammates (Diontae Johnson) or who weren’t the right fit for a rebuild (Jadeveon Clowney) was beneficial. ______________________________ Next, whether the weaknesses in the Panthers pass rush a scheme issue or a talent issue: Per Pro Football Focus, the Panthers have been the NFL’s worst pressure team since 2023, when Evero arrived in Charlotte. Over that same span, the Panthers have the NFL’s seventh-highest blitz percentage. So it hasn’t been for a lack of trying. That would suggest personnel has played a part. Evero hasn’t had much to work with since 2023, when Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu combined for 13.5 sacks. ... Morgan hasn’t spent big on a free-agent pass rusher since trading Burns to the Giants in 2024. He brought in D.J Wonnum, K’Lavon Chaisson and Clowney last year, before adding Patrick Jones this past offseason. Wonnum, who had four sacks in eight games last season, has none in 12 games this year. Jones recorded one sack in four games before undergoing a season-ending back surgery in October. The Panthers drafted a pair of second-day, SEC edge rushers this year in Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Evero needs more. The list of free-agent pass rushers isn’t deep, but it is headlined by Trey Hendrickson and Jaelan Phillips. At a minimum, Morgan should take a long look. ______________________________ One other tidbit: Person sees "no chance" of Canales giving up playcalling duties.

Seconded. I let my Athletic subscription lapse because of how crappy the Panthers have been but they're offering a dollar a month deal for a year right now so I may sign back on.

He doesn't have your charisma (might have a better 40 time though)

Every year, without fail, some draftnik or analyst somewhere pegs us as taking a tight end in round one. Feels like it's been an annual thing since the team's inception.

Wouldn't put money on it being addressed next season (outside of finding a new backup)

Funny how they keep quoting and basing their arguments on those things they "don't give a fug about". Perhaps it is an "easy way" but I'm not about taking the easy way. My path is to look at what's good (without trying to minimize it or rationalizing my way out of it) then look at what's bad and make an honest call based on real truth. Basically, it's like saying you'd rather play against a team at their best than hoping they're all banged up by the time you face them. As to finding "that dude" you do so by finding who helps you win games. Like it or not, Bryce is doing that right now.