CHARLOTTE – Every week, as coordinators step to the mic, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero always elects to take a moment to recognize someone of note. Some weeks it's his position coaches, other weeks it's his mentors on other teams, for two weeks it was his father-in-law. It's a moment for Evero to highlight someone he thinks deserves a light.

"Sometimes you're inspired by something that happens in the building, on the field," Evero began, explaining why he wants to take time each week to highlight someone in his life. "And sometimes as you just kind of reflect on things, there's a lot of people that do so much to help us get to where we are: players, coaches and especially, me personally and so I just think it's always important to acknowledge the people that support you and encourage you and allow you to do your job at the level you do it at."

This Thursday, it was A'Shawn Robinson.

"A guy that I have so much respect for, A'Shawn Robinson, a player that I was with at the Rams," Evero began. "Fortunate enough that we were able to win a Super Bowl together there and have a lot of good years there, and just kind of following his career where he started off in Detroit to where he is now."

Robinson was signed as a free agent this past spring, reuniting with Evero. Typically, a run-defender, Robinson has flourished this year as a pass-rusher as well. He has a career high 4.5 sacks with three games to go, plus a game-winning forced fumble and 66 tackles.

"Just such a stalwart for us, a leader, a heck of a player, productive on the field, run game, pass game," Evero continued on Robinson. "And I've just been so happy to do football with him this year and so I wanted to give him some kudos, give him some love just because he's done a hell of a job.

"He's been such a leader in the locker room, such an influence on the young guys. He's been great for the coaches, and you know, a lot of times the things that he's doing, that goes unnoticed. And so, I think it's important that everybody recognizes what this young man is doing, the person he is, the leader he is, the family man, all of those things that he does. Just excels in so many areas.

"So, I wanted to give him some love, so I appreciate you brother."

The running man

It's no secret Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray is a man on a mission when he gets out of the pocket. Whether running to buy time and open routes for receivers, or taking off to scramble on his own, Murray's legs are a dangerous weapon that have fouled many a defense.

Evero has coached some of those defenses in the past. While with the Rams, he was in the same division as the Cardinals, coaching against Murray twice a year.

"In terms of Kyler, I mean just like a lot of these quarterbacks around the league, he's just grown and he's playing within the system at a much higher clip than he did when I was playing against him in Arizona.

"He's doing a hell of a job, and I think (Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew) Petzing and his staff is doing a great job of utilizing him, getting him to play within this framework of the offense. And he still obviously has the ability to stretch you with his legs and stretch you with his arm talent. But he's doing a heck of a job."

Another person familiar with Murray is corner Mike Jackson, who played in the NFC West while with Seattle and beat Murray four times.

"He's almost better out of pocket than he is in the pocket," Jackson said Thursday, recalling their battles. "Like you can tell he played baseball because he got all the weird throw arm angles and the fact that he can scramble, so it's just like you have to be in tune the whole down, you can't relax."

Locking down Budda

There is lots of crossover this week, with coaches who spent years in the same division as the Cardinals. Another one is offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who spent years with the Seahawks, has witnessed Budda Baker play at some of the highest levels seen for the safety position.

"We were just laughing about it in an install meeting here," Idzik shared Thursday, of what it takes to face six-time Pro Bowler. "Budda plays so much bigger than he is stature wise, it's unbelievable. There's so many safety pressures that he's involved in where he gets to kind of freelance a little bit. And he's in there, you know, throwing his full body in to Penei Sewell in Detroit as if he's a defensive lineman trying to hold the gap."

Baker's willingness to throw himself into the play is why he is currently second in the league in total tackles with 142.

"I think you couple his athleticism and his natural instincts for the game, with his willingness to just put his body on the line that's just, it's impressive that he's continuing to do it at this level, with an extended period, not being the biggest guy, but just being fearless in the way he fills gaps, makes tackles in the open field, and then you know attacks the ball when he has a chance to do it."

Here's Johnny

The Panthers elected to have Johnny Hekker handle kickoffs this past Sunday against the Cowboys. With Dallas having the best return game in the league right now, the decision was made completely around showing a different look to KaVontae Turpin. As a result, Turpin was held to an average of 21.33 yards per return, his lowest output in a game this season.

"He's been practicing on the side for a few weeks," special teams coordinator Tracy Smith said Thursday. "I thought we had an opportunity to show Dallas, or really the best return team in the NFL right now, show them something that they hadn't seen.

"So, there was just kind of, thought we could take advantage of that opportunity, just something we hadn't done yet."

As to whether Hekker would handle any other kickoff duties remains to be seen. The option being available allows the Panthers to better game plan for certain return teams.

The Cardinals are 10^th overall in the league in kickoff return, averaging 28.5 yards per return. The unit has returned one for a touchdown.