Ejiro Evero has managed to become a regular HC candidate despite coaching on struggling teams. He received tremendous interest after a 5-12 Broncos season, and teams also pursued him after he was part of a 2-15 Panthers team. Carolina’s defensive regression this season may change that, but Evero will not be fired from his current gig.
The Panthers intend to bring back Evero for a third season, Dave Canales said Monday (via The Athletic’s Joe Person). While the door appears open to other staff changes, Canales clarified Evero will not be fired.
This is somewhat interesting due to Canales inheriting Evero, whom Frank Reich hired in 2023. Evero had interviewed for the job Reich landed, only to be eventually let out of his Broncos DC contract. This led to an agreement to be one of Reich’s right-hand men. The Panthers finished fourth in total defense (but 29th in scoring) during their woeful 2023 season. Evero’s unit cratered this season, however, falling to last in total defense. The Panthers also dropped from 29th to 32nd in points allowed.
Despite this, Evero is coming back. As of early December, he was also on track to receive more HC interest. Even in a shallow pool of candidates, Evero landing a job after the Panthers ranked last defensively across the board would be borderline shocking. The Panthers, however, blocked him from leaving for another DC post last year. The Dolphins, Giants and Jaguars requested meetings. It appeared Evero would have been fine with another move, but the Panthers had him under contract and could block a move. It appears that will happen again in 2025.
Carolina went 5-12 in Canales’ first season, showing improvement down the stretch. Changes should certainly be expected to boost the Panthers’ defense, particularly in the pass-rushing department. Evero, however, also coached most of the year without top defensive lineman Derrick Brown, whom the team extended this past offseason. Brown is due back, and while a new OLB contingent should be considered likely, Evero will be the one leading the charge.
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When the Las Vegas Raiders traded for Geno Smith on March 13, they knew exactly what they were getting themselves into. While Smith is a definite upgrade on Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, he is also on the last year of his deal during an age-35 season. Both head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek remain confident that a contract extension will get done in short order, but there are plenty of factors that must be taken into consideration. Until pen is put to paper, the fact of the matter is Smith currently stands as a one-year proposition. On top of all of this, recent comments on the Raiders’ draft strategy has thrown up some mixed signals. Is quarterback still on the table for the Raiders with the sixth pick? According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, it sounds like all options for the Raiders remain on the table, including quarterback, when they are on the clock in April’s draft. “Despite trading for Smith, the Raiders remain open to drafting a quarterback as early as the first round of the 2025 draft, according to league sources,” Reed wrote. Spytek’s comments at the annual league meeting on Monday only added to this speculation, suggesting that the addition of Smith to the roster did not alter the Raiders’ draft strategy. “From a team-building standpoint, I don’t think it changes our approach at all,” Spytek said, per Reed. “We’re deep into the evaluation of the quarterbacks in this class, and we’re going to stay in that. … We could take one anywhere.” With Miami quarterback Cam Ward expected to go No. 1 to the Tennessee Titans, that leaves Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders for the Raiders to take at six. Recent reports have suggested Sanders is a candidate to slide down the draft, so connecting him back to the Raiders is a welcome sight for him and his camp. Sanders has openly flirted about the idea of playing for the Raiders in 2025 for months, even after the Smith trade. The idea of learning the NFL game from a longtime veteran like Smith, as well as a seasoned offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly, should give the Raiders some confidence in the development of Sanders or any quarterback they take. Should Smith’s contract extension remain unsettled closer to the draft, expect the Sanders rumors to kick back into overdrive again.
Mark Jackson is one of the most notable former NBA players. In addition to his playing career, he has also been a head coach (Golden State Warriors) and called the NBA Finals for ABC/ESPN. On Tuesday, Jackson is celebrating his 60th birthday. One person who sent him a message was NBA legend Reggie Miller. His Instagram post had over 2,000 likes in one hour. Miller wrote: "Happy Birthday to da Godfather @markjackson, enjoy your day Brotha Man and many more blessings..#MontanaOverMarino #CarewOverGywnn" Jackson was the 18th pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. He spent 17 seasons with the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. His career averages were 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 44.7% from the field and 33.2% from the three-point range in 1,296 games. As for Miller, the Hall of Fame shooting guard spent his entire 18-year career with Indiana.
What do you get for the team that has nearly everything? How about a speedster. The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz in a trade with the A’s. The A’s had designated Ruiz for assignment on Sunday, and a few days later, they traded him to the Dodgers for pitcher Carlos Duran. Ruiz, 26, is best known for leading the league with 67 stolen bases for the A’s in 2023. Ruiz played in 132 games and batted .254 with a .654 OPS that season. Last season he batted .200 with a .652 OPS in 29 games. He had 5 stolen bases in 9 attempts. Ruiz is not expected to be part of the Dodgers’ regular lineup any time soon. He is being sent to Triple-A to begin the season. If he plays well, he could eventually be called up and would give the Dodgers an excellent speed option off the bench. For now, they seem to be content just giving him an opportunity to see what he can do in a new environment.
T.J. Watt is entering the final year of his contract. The Steelers’ franchise face. A defensive cornerstone. A one-helmet guy. But with every passing week, it’s becoming harder to ignore one simple fact: Pittsburgh is running out of time. On Monday, GM Omar Khan finally addressed the growing contract buzz, telling reporters he’s “hopeful” Watt will retire a Steeler. It was a nice sentiment—but hardly the commitment fans were hoping for. Meanwhile, the edge rusher market has exploded. Myles Garrett just reset the bar. Maxx Crosby re-signed. And now, Micah Parsons looms—likely to surpass them all. Every day Pittsburgh waits, Watt’s price tag climbs. The organization’s usual extension window is August as part of their negotiation policy. Since 1994 they've refused to handle contract decisions mid-season. But for a player of Watt’s magnitude—one who’s never won a playoff game and isn’t getting younger—that strategy might be outdated. Especially when whispers of a possible trade refuse to fully disappear. Yes, Watt wants to stay. Yes, Pittsburgh values him. But emotion doesn’t stop leverage, and the Steelers could’ve saved millions by moving earlier. Watt’s been loyal, productive, and impactful beyond the stat sheet. But “hope” won’t keep him in Pittsburgh. Action will. And with every market-setting deal that drops, the urgency to get something done before Parsons resets the position grows louder. Time’s ticking—and the Steelers know it.
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