Carolina Panthers
Panthers defense now in jeopardy?
Carolina Panthers

Panthers defense now in jeopardy?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:55 p.m. ET

The Carolina Panthers defense could look much different with the news of Sean McDermott and Al Holcomb moving on to the Buffalo Bills.

Sean McDermott and Al Holcomb both were given promotions this week and will be departing from the Carolina Panthers. McDermott, the Panthers defensive coordinator since 2011, has been bumped up to head coach and he brought his linebackers coach since 2013 along with him to be his new defensive coordinator in Buffalo.

Word is that the Panthers will act swiftly and remain in-house to replace McDermott at defensive coordinator. They are looking at secondary coach Steve Wilks, if not hired by Los Angeles for their head coaching vacancy, to fill that role. While McDermott has done a great job and deserves his promotion, there is a question as to how much of a drop off the Panthers defense will show.

The fact of the matter is that Head Coach Ron Rivera is a former defensive coordinator and his conservative, defensive minded strategies have always been his calling card. Sure, McDermott was calling plays and was involved in the drafting and developing of Luke Kuechly and Kawann Short, but there is almost no doubt that Rivera had his hands in the mix just as much. In losing their linebackers coach, they are losing a guy who inherited Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Until very late in the season Holcomb continued to use A.J. Klein over up and coming Shaq Thompson in nickel situations, despite Thompson being much better in coverage.

ADVERTISEMENT

With Wilks, Rivera does not just get the familiarity of an in-house hire, he gets a coach that he has

More from Cat Crave

    hand picked for years. Rivera was the defensive coordinator of the Bears through the 2006 season. In his last year, the Bears hired Wilks as the secondary coach. It was Wilks first NFL job, after spending some time in college. Rivera moved on to being the Chargers linebackers coach and defensive coordinator from 2007-2010. In 2009, the second season in which Rivera was a defensive coordinator in San Diego, he hired Wilks again to be his secondary coach. When Rivera moved up to head coach in Carolina, he again waited one season, then called back Wilks to become the secondary coach for the Panthers. Essentially, the two have been connected since 2006, and clearly, have a good working relationship.

    While the secondary showed flaws last season, Wilks can get credit for putting Josh Norman in a situation to shine in 2015. For starting two rookies the majority of the season, the cornerback play could have certainly been worse and he has gotten the best play out of Kurt Coleman since being drafted in 2010.

    Overall, the Panthers will preach similar concepts, styles, and positional values as they always have. The scheme may show some slight differences, but Rivera and Wilks are both defensive minded and have both been on the same page for quite some time. While McDermott was a great coach, a noticeable drop off from the Panthers defense in 2017 should not be expected.

    share


    Get more from Carolina Panthers Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more