Report: Ejiro Evero ‘near top of’ Packers’ list of DC options

So is Evero going to be available for Green Bay to interview or not? No one’s sure.

With the coaching carousel in full swing, one of the biggest questions remaining is what will happen with Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Evero took head coaching interviews with multiple teams since the season had ended, but he hasn’t been able to land one of those opportunities. As of now, the only head coaching vacancies remaining in the NFL are with the Seattle Seahawks — a job he received a second interview with — and the Washington Commanders.

Currently, we’re receiving conflicting information about Evero’s status as a potential defensive coordinator for a team other than the Panthers in 2024. The Athletic’s Joseph Person reported on Monday that Carolina has blocked interview requests from the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars to speak with Evero about their coordinator openings.

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote on late Sunday night that Evero is “near or at the top of” the Los Angeles Rams’ and Green Bay Packers’ lists of potential defensive coordinator hires. Breer also added that Evero is making over $3 million per year as a coordinator, which is nearly half of what first-time NFL head coaches make in this current market.

So is Evero on the table or not? It doesn’t seem like anyone is sure. Sure, the Panthers could hang onto the defensive coordinator, but they were blocking many of his interview requests before the team had even hired Dave Canales as their next head coach. Until Evero is out of the running for the Seahawks’ head coaching opening and he makes a statement on his willingness, or not, to return to the 2-15 Carolina roster, these questions will remain up in the air.

As a reminder, Evero was a finalist for the defensive coordinator search that led to the hiring of Joe Barry back in 2021 for Green Bay. Evero, a former defensive quality control coach with the Packers, received his first full-time on-field coaching opportunity with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, who also was the head man in charge of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and former defensive coordinator Joe Barry during various seasons. At the time in 2021, Evero was coming off of a four-year stint as McVay’s safeties coach with the Rams. In 2021, Evero was promoted to secondary coach and passing game coordinator before leaving for the Denver Broncos in 2022 to be their defensive coordinator. In 2023, Evero was released from his contract as a defensive coordinator when Sean Payton was named the Broncos’ head coach, leading to his signing with the Panthers.