Panthers Likely To Fire GM Scott Fitterer; Team Open To Retaining DC Ejiro Evero
There will likely be more GM openings compared to the 2023 cycle. After the Raiders and Chargers fired their respective GMs in-season, the Commanders are expected to follow suit after the season. Given the turmoil in Carolina, it should also be viewed as likely the Panthers clean house.
Scott Fitterer is probably in his final weeks on the job in Carolina, with The Athletic’s Joe Person indicating many around the league point to the third-year GM being canned soon (subscription required). While Fitterer is well liked around the league, the Panthers have struggled during his tenure. Considering how quick David Tepper was to pull the plug on Frank Reich, Fitterer’s 2024 ouster has been rumored for a bit.
The longtime Seahawks exec loomed as a GM candidate for a stretch before his 2021 hire, and he signed on to work alongside Matt Rhule. The latter ran the show in Carolina during his three-year HC tenure, but Fitterer’s solo run has produced roster fireworks. The Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey shortly after Rhule’s firing, and they turned down a monster Rams offer (two first-round picks and a third-rounder) for Brian Burns. Bears negotiations in the winter included Burns and Derrick Brown, but Fitterer and Ryan Poles came to an agreement on a deal that sent D.J. Moore and a host of draft picks to Chicago for the No. 1 overall slot.
Tepper has widely been viewed as leading the charge for Bryce Young, but that swap has burned the Panthers early. Because of Carolina’s 2-12 record, Chicago is close to obtaining the No. 1 pick for a second straight year. It looks like Fitterer will pay the price. The Panthers sport a .292 win percentage since 2021, which matches the Bears for the NFL’s lowest during that span. The next Panthers power structure will be tasked with rebuilding Young, who is believed to have suffered from a complicated offensive approach built on combining Reich and OC Thomas Brown‘s visions.
As the Panthers remain connected to an offense-oriented coach — one who will be OK working with Tepper given the run the sixth-year owner is on — they look to be considering pairing that to-be-determined leader with DC Ejiro Evero. The Panthers are intrigued by the idea of Evero staying and working alongside the team’s next HC, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
A sought-after HC candidate this offseason, Evero ended up as the Panthers’ DC after the Broncos let him out of his DC contract. Evero interviewed for the Vikings and Panthers’ DC jobs, after meeting with Carolina about the HC job that went to Reich. Bolstering his reputation on Nathaniel Hackett‘s sinking Broncos ship last year, Evero became the rare in-demand coordinator from a 5-12 team. The Broncos also expressed interest in keeping Evero to team with Sean Payton, but the sides determined it was not a fit. Denver rehired Vance Joseph, while Evero’s stock has not dropped much despite Carolina’s 2023 futility.
A wide disparity exists between the Panthers’ points and yardage rankings on defense; Carolina ranks 29th in scoring defense but third in yards yielded. The Panthers’ pass defense also ranks third. DVOA leans toward the scoring number as more indicative of the defense’s true performance; Carolina’s defense sits 27th here. The Panthers have, however, played much of this season without top corner Jaycee Horn and linebacker stalwart Shaq Thompson.
It will be interesting to see if Tepper would consider forcing Evero upon his new HC. That seems like a stretch, considering the team’s unraveling after Steve Wilks‘ admirable interim effort and the owner’s own reputation likely to make a hire more difficult this year. But this scenario does look to be in play. If so, Evero would be on the verge of developing an interesting reputation for garnering praise despite being a DC for bad teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/23
Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams
- Signed off Ravens’ practice squad: TE Travis Vokolek
- Placed on IR: TE Geoff Swaim, LB Josh Woods
Carolina Panthers
- Designated to return from IR: LB Claudin Cherelus
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers (from Falcons): DT Travis Bell
Denver Broncos
- Designated to return from IR: OL Alex Palczewski
New York Giants
- Designated to return from IR: RB Gary Brightwell, T Matt Peart
New York Jets
- Waived: FB Nick Bawden
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: DT Kalia Davis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated to return from IR: WR Rakim Jarrett
Tennessee Titans
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: LB Garret Wallow
- Placed on IR: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/23
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: FB Ben Mason
Carolina Panthers
- Released: QB Jake Luton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Craig James
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Izaiah Gathings, WR Anthony Miller
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: CB Troy Pride Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from practice squad/injured reserve: T Silas Dzansi
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
The Panthers’ Week 15 win over the Falcons brought the Patriots and Cardinals, who each lost, one game closer to the No. 1 overall pick. New England’s weaker strength of schedule provides keeps Arizona in the No. 3 spot, while Washington — weeks away from a likely full-scale reboot — has lost five straight to move into position for its first top-five pick since 2020.
Early reports have the Bears more likely to draft Justin Fields‘ replacement than trading a top pick once again, but the Patriots and Cardinals are still in the running for what could well be the Caleb Williams draft slot. Much less drama would emerge if New England claimed the top pick, as the Patriots would be expected to draft the top QB prize. Arizona landing atop the draft for the second time in six years could produce a derby, with Kyler Murray‘s contract difficult (but not impossible) to move for new GM Monti Ossenfort. QB-needy teams may well be hoping the Cardinals land one of the top two spots, however, providing a potential gateway to a trade-up for Williams or Drake Maye.
The Raiders’ 63-21 demolition of the Chargers slid them down six spots compared to their position last week. The Packers also climbed eight spots from their slot going into Week 15. Green Bay has not held a top-11 draft choice since it drafted B.J. Raji in the 2009 first round; that came on the heels of Aaron Rodgers‘ first season at the helm. Jordan Love‘s QB1 debut season could still produce a playoff berth, however, and the rest of the NFC and AFC wild-card races remain tightly bunched.
Here is how the 2024 draft order looks with three regular-season games to play:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- New England Patriots: 3-11
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-11
- Washington Commanders: 4-10
- Chicago Bears: 5-9
- New York Giants: 5-9
- New York Jets: 5-9
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-9
- Tennessee Titans: 5-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-8
- Green Bay Packers: 6-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
- New Orleans Saints: 7-7
- Denver Broncos: 7-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-7
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Buffalo Bills: 8-6
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 7-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-6
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-6
- Cincinnati Bengals: 8-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 9-5
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 10-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 10-4
- Miami Dolphins: 10-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
- Baltimore Ravens: 11-3
- San Francisco 49ers: 11-3
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/19/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: WR Daniel Arias
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Jake Funk
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OT Badara Traore
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Chris Williams
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DB Keidron Smith
- Released from IR: S Dallin Leavitt
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Zach McCloud, WR Jaydon Mickens, WR Juwann Winfree
- Released: G Lewis Kidd
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: QB E.J. Perry
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Darius Harris
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Marquan McCall
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB William Hooper, RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Jalen Elliott
- Designated to return from IR: S Elijah Riley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Vi Jones
- Released: LS Evan Deckers
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: C James Empey, G Jordan Roos
Washington Commanders
- Signed: LS Tucker Addington
Panthers To Waive OLB Justin Houston
Teams in need of edge-rushing help suddenly will have a new option to consider. The Panthers are cutting bait on their one-year Justin Houston contract.
Houston will hit waivers today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The 13th-year veteran, who had been stationed on a 2-12 team, wants to keep playing this season — but only for a contender. The Panthers have confirmed the move, which will end Houston’s Carolina tenure after just seven games on the active roster.
While Houston could conceivably clear waivers like Shaquille Leonard and Zach Ertz did, a higher likelihood exists here he will be claimed. Due to contract structure, Houston is only due $194K over the season’s remainder, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The 34-year-old defender signed a one-year, $6MM deal with Carolina late this summer. But $4.8MM of that sum came in the form of a signing bonus. Due to void years, the Panthers will be hit with approximately $4MM in dead money by releasing the former Chiefs, Colts and Ravens pass rusher.
Like Ertz, Houston is being removed from his team’s IR list. The Panthers placed Houston on IR in early November. He has not played since Carolina’s Oct. 29 game against the Texans. Houston also only has a half-sack this season. A hamstring issue sidelined the four-time Pro Bowler, but it is clear he expects to be ready to play again this season.
Last season, Houston ripped off 9.5 sacks to lead a playoff-bound Ravens team in that department. Although the Ravens entered training camp with more edge rusher questions, they let the veteran sign elsewhere. The Ravens have seen late additions Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy fare well for a rejuvenated pass rush. The Bears also considered Houston this offseason, but they traded for Montez Sweat and gave him a big-ticket extension. With Chicago not in the playoff race, Houston does not profile as a fit there at this juncture.
Houston also displayed better health in recent years. After knee trouble led the former third-round pick out of Kansas City in 2019, Houston played at least 14 games each year from 2019-22. He posted 19 sacks during a two-year Colts tenure and helped the Ravens as a stopgap fix from 2021-22. While Houston’s tenure opposite Brian Burns did not go as well, it would not surprise to see him generate interest as contenders assess their stretch-run OLB/DE contingents. Houston has experience playing in both 3-4 and 4-3 defensive schemes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23
Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: G Elijah Wilkinson
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DT Kentavius Street
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: OLB Jeremiah Moon
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Gabe Jackson, OL J.D. DiRenzo
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: LB DeMarquis Gates
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Tanner McCalister, LB Charlie Thomas III
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, RB Malik Davis
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: NT Tyler Lancaster, QB Ben DiNucci
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley, DE Bruce Irvin
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Bo Melton
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
- Elevated: WR Steven Sims, LB Garret Wallow
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: S Deon Bush
- Elevated: NT Mike Pennel, RB Deneric Prince
- Waived: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: WR Tyler Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: CB Ethan Bonner, RB Darrynton Evans
New England Patriots
- Elevated: RB Kevin Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Marquez Callaway, T Cameron Erving
New York Giants
- Waived: S Bobby McCain
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: OL Xavier Newman
- Elevated: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- Placed on IR: LB Zaire Barnes
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DT T.Y. McGill, RB Jeremy McNichols
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: S Richard LeCounte, CB Derrek Pitts
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: DL Marlon Davidson, LB JoJo Domann
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: RB Jonathan Williams
Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.
Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.
McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/15/23
Here are today’s minor transactions, including some practice squad callups for the Saturday games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from Seahawks’ practice squad: OLB Tyreke Smith
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: DE Chris Wormley
- Placed on IR: G Justin McCray
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: TE Lucas Krull
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: WR Ethan Fernea, RB Tyler Goodson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: RB Myles Gaskin, WR Trishton Jackson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: LB Kyron Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: DT Deadrin Senat
Washington Commanders
- Activated from IR: G Saahdiq Charles
- Placed on IR: TE Curtis Hodges
Getting Charles back should provide a bit of a boost for a Commanders’ offensive line that has allowed quarterback Sam Howell to be sacked an NFL-leading 58 times. That being said, they led the league in that category when Charles was healthy, as well. Still, as Charles attempts to come back from the calf injury that sidelined him for six games, he’ll have to overcome second-year guard Chris Paul, who has been starting in his place since the injury. While Charles had been struggling in a contract year, his replacement has ranked as the fourth-worst guard in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Wormley, Krull, and Senat all make their way up to the active roster for two reasons: first, injuries, and second, they’ve already appeared as standard gameday elevations off of the practice squad the maximum three times. In order to appear in any other games this year, all three needed to be signed to new contracts. If the players they are replacing come back from injury before the end of the season, any of them can be waived, re-signed to the practice squad, and elevated an additional three times.
Panthers To Place Hayden Hurst On IR
Hayden Hurst‘s comments detailing the head injury he suffered last month pointed to a hopeful late-season return. The Panthers are, however, expected to exercise caution with their offseason tight end pickup.
Carolina is planning to place Hurst on IR, The Athletic’s Joe Person notes. With players stashed on IR required to miss four games, this move will end the veteran tight end’s season. Hurst has not played since suffering a concussion Nov. 9. The Panthers gave the former Ravens, Falcons and Bengals pass catcher a three-year, $21.75MM deal in March.
Hurst’s father shared recently that an independent neurologist diagnosed the veteran tight end with post-traumatic amnesia, and the former first-round pick confirmed the diagnosis. While Hurst said the post-traumatic amnesia assessment “sounds way worse,” he did add he could not remember anything up to four hours following that November game against the Bears.
The 30-year-old tight end had not stood out prior to suffering the scary injury, but no non-Adam Thielen presence in Carolina’s offense has fared particularly well during this woeful season. The Panthers made Hurst this offseason’s highest-paid tight end signee; he totaled 18 receptions for 184 yards and a touchdown in nine games. Hurst has never been a prolific receiving tight end. The Ravens found a better aerial option two rounds later in the 2018 draft, in Mark Andrews, leading to a 2020 trade. A year after acquiring Hurst, the Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts fourth overall.
Considering what happened in Chicago, Hurst having locked in $13MM guaranteed at signing proves pivotal. Although a new coaching staff will come in after Hurst signed to play in Frank Reich‘s offense, his $5.75MM 2024 base salary is guaranteed.
NFC South Notes: Fitterer, Mayfield, Saints
With the Panthers bottoming out and David Tepper firing another head coach, it has seemed likely the team will move on from its GM as well. Given Tepper’s comments, it is worth wondering how much power Scott Fitterer has held since Matt Rhule‘s October 2022 firing. But Fitterer is clearly on a hot seat in Carolina. Following Frank Reich‘s ouster, the team should be expected to move on from its third-year GM, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Fitterer ran point on the decision to reject the Rams’ two-first-rounder offer for Brian Burns before the 2022 trade deadline, and his negotiations with Ryan Poles led to the March blockbuster for the Bryce Young draft slot.
Of course, it is widely believed Tepper drove the Panthers’ effort to select Young first overall. That process will lead to the Bears holding the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick, which currently checks in at No. 1 overall. Fitterer hot-seat rumors surfaced before Reich’s firing, and although a November report pointed to Tepper keeping his GM around to help attract Lions OC Ben Johnson shed light on a possible lifeline for the ex-Seahawks exec, a 2024 housecleaning seems likelier given the events of 2023.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- Baker Mayfield signed a one-year, $4MM Buccaneers deal in March, earning a starting job despite a rough 2022. Incentives exist in the sixth-year quarterback’s contract, and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes he has cashed in on some of those already. Mayfield has collected $500K by staying in the Bucs’ lineup, with Auman noting the team included $250K bumps for hitting the 55%, 65%, 75% and 85% snap rates. Mayfield staying healthy the rest of the way would lead to him adding $1MM in incentives. Additionally, Auman indicates a bonus exists for a Bucs playoff win. Although the Bucs are 6-7, they currently hold the NFC West tiebreaker. Mayfield is interested in staying with the Bucs beyond this season, though no known extension talks have occurred yet.
- One of Mayfield’s current division rivals has not enjoyed a healthy season. Derek Carr has sustained two concussions and dealt with shoulder trouble, but the Saints‘ big-ticket QB addition has not missed a start. In addition to the head and shoulder issues, Carr has sustained three rib fractures this year, per NewOrleans.football’s Brooke Kirchhofer. In 10 seasons, Carr has only missed three career games due to injury. But his playing hurt has affected the Saints this season. While Carr’s completion percentage is up significantly from 2022, his QBR has dropped. Given a four-year, $150MM contract that includes $70MM fully guaranteed, Carr ranks 23rd in QBR through 13 games.
- Michael Thomas has once again seen an injury take him out of New Orleans’ equation. The eighth-year wide receiver, who has dealt with persistent injury issues during the 2020s, is on IR with a knee injury. The former All-Pro will be eligible to be activated in Week 16, but NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill doubts he comes back until at least the Saints’ regular-season finale. Should that game not mean anything for the team, Thomas would have little incentive to return. The 30-year-old pass catcher’s 10 games this season are his most since 2019, but he has now missed 43 games since the 2020 season.
- As Carr dealt with the first of his 2023 injuries, New Orleans attempted to sign a player off Denver’s practice squad. The Saints tried to add Ben DiNucci off the Broncos’ P-squad in September, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. DiNucci, who returned to the NFL after an XFL run, opted to stay where he was for continuity purposes. After DiNucci’s decision, the Saints added Jake Luton to their 53-man roster instead. DiNucci said the Broncos are expected to make up the difference he would have made as part of the Saints’ active roster. Denver elevated DiNucci in Week 13, allowing him to pick up a $48K game check. Doing so two more times would match the total DiNucci would have earned while on the Saints’ 53-man roster for the mandated three weeks.