The Eagles and Doug Pederson have parted ways after a very eventful season that completely dismantled this organization from top to bottom.
The Eagles are once again searching for a new head coach. They're a little behind in the race to secure this year's big names, but will that stop them from finding the perfect fit? Here are six candidates to keep in mind.
Duce Staley - Assistant HC - Eagles
The former Eagles running back has consistently been written off as “not ready” by fans and media members alike, although there has long been a fear that the Eagles would lose him to an offensive coordinator promotion elsewhere.
Staley has received constant praise from Eagles past and present when it comes to leadership. Even Malcolm Jenkins took to Twitter to voice his vote of confidence.
https://twitter.com/MalcolmJenkins/status/1348747590477742081?s=20
Not only has Staley has been around some great offensive minds throughout his coaching career, but he's risen through the ranks from a special teams coach, to assistant Head Coach and running backs coach.
He has a Super Bowl win under his belt and witnessed what it took to make it to the big game. Staley may be unappreciated by many outside of the Novacare building, but he holds a significant value with the front office.
Lincoln Riley - HC - OSU
Why Lincoln Riley? Could the Eagles pry the Sooners head coach even after he turned down the Cowboys? Those were my first initial thoughts when I saw his name trending among Eagles fans. It seemed farfetched until Sports Illustrated writer & publisher, Ed Kracz broke this news:
“It isn’t the first time the Eagles have talked to Riley about his potential interest in the Eagles,” writes Kracz. “He and Roseman have a good relationship, and it was a consult with Riley that helped sway the Eagles to draft both Jalen Reagor and Jalen Hurts, per sources.”
No one understood why the Eagles chose Jalen Hurts in the second round. Riley having this kind of relationship with Howie Roseman is HUGE for the Eagles. To sway the Eagles GM to draft Jalen Hurts after signing Carson Wentz to a big contract extension is unbelievable. According to the source, Riley was the motivation behind the Reagor pick. Another pick that was heavily scrutinized by many, especially after the season Justin Jefferson had.
For Riley to have this much influence and not even be under contract is odd to me. It’s as if Roseman was building this offense for Riley’s arrival. Lincoln is best known for getting the most out of his players. He ran an offense predicated on option looks and on a base that ensured his QB gets the ball into the hands of his playmakers in open space, spreading it around and keeping defenses honest.
Lurie stressed on Monday that the Eagles wouldn’t rush into a decision and that goes against these reports.
If Riley comes on board then what does that mean for Carson Wentz? Lurie mentioned that this roster wouldn’t be a quick fix which could mean that they’re leaning towards Jalen Hurts. Riley makes a lot of sense if the front office is willing to be patient. If he already has Howie’s buy-in and can eradicate the disconnect that ruptured the offense last season, then the Eagles could be in good hands moving forward.
Eric Bieniemy - OC - Kansas City Chiefs
Another one of Andy’s disciples, Eric Bieniemy is probably the most talked-about head coach candidate. Although it's rumored that he’s been doing poorly in his interviews, his resume shows what he’s able to do on the gridiron, and that's all that matters.
Bieniemy could fit into a system that's very much a branch of the Tree he's currently in. The advantage of going with a mind like that of the former NFL running back is that he’s shown what he can do with the right QB by his side.
Patrick Mahomes has become the face of the NFL while under his supervision and has been nothing but complimentary of the offensive coordinator. Mahomes has won a league MVP award and racked up 13,868 passing yards for 114 touchdowns and 23 interceptions along the way. Bieniemy may prefer a QB like Wentz over Hurts due to what Carson has been able to do before 2020. Wentz is only a year removed from leading an injured Eagles team to the playoffs with nothing but practice squad receivers by his side and if he is afforded the opportunity to hit 'reset' under Bieniemy, then this could be a match made in heaven.
Besides, we all know what happened the last time the Eagles decided to hire a Chiefs offensive coordinator...
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Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire
Arthur Smith - OC - Titans
Carson Wentz has been labeled as a broken QB that needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Why not hire the man that resurrected the career of Ryan Tannehill? Since joining the Titans, Ryan Tannehill is 18-8 with 6,561 passing yards, 55 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 67% completion percentage. This is the same Ryan Tannehill that wasn’t good enough for Miami. Tannehill has easily been in the top half of the league with Smith by his side and an offense that actually values the run-game.
The Titans offense is another example of taking advantage of the talent you have and putting your playmakers in the best positions to win. Derrick Henry has had career seasons under Smith and is even being touted as the best RB in the league. Henry put 1,540 rushing yards in his first season with the then-rookie coordinator and followed that up with 2,027 rushing yards in 2020. In both seasons he’s averaged over 100 yards per game.
AJ Brown's development also highlights Smith’s ability to lead his offense. Brown was a rookie last season and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards with 8 touchdowns. This season, he passed it again with 1,075 but with 3 more touchdowns this time around.
Lurie said he wanted a head coach that could be a leader among the players and staff. Smith could carry that Vrabel energy to Philly and completely resurrect this franchise.
Mike Kafka - QB coach/Passing game coordinator - Kansas City Chiefs
Another one of Andy’s disciples, Kafka is no stranger to the Eagles. The former QB was drafted by the team back in 2011 and after a few years traveling around the league in an attempt to find a permanent home, has since worked his way up the Kansas City coaching tree.
Kafka is an interesting consideration as the Eagles wanted him as an Offensive Coordinator last offseason, but the interview request was ultimately blocked by Andy Reid. This time around, that won’t be the case as this would be a huge move for Mike. The Eagles are in search of a QB whisperer that could help pull the potential out of either QB in Philly.
Kafka’s experience with Patrick Mahomes shouldn’t be buried behind the success of the offense that's led by Eric Bieniemy and Andy Reid. As a QB’s coach, Kafka has been in charge of keeping Mahomes sharp when it comes to his mechanics and how he views defenses. Not too long ago, Mahomes admitted that he didn’t know how to read a defense, Kafka’s presence has helped Mahomes jump to that next level of quarterback play. This could bode well for a struggling QB like Carson Wentz who has all of the tools to succeed.
Brian Daboll - OC - Bills
Daboll is a very intriguing name. He doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to developing young quarterbacks, but then again, the best prospect he’s had is Bills QB Josh Allen.
Allen struggled mightily last season with the offense as it wasn’t tailored to his strengths. Daboll went back to the drawing board and used the addition of Stefon Diggs to help accommodate Allen’s previously sporadic deep-ball.
The former first-round pick looked like a totally different player this season. He threw for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while adding 421 yards and a further 8 scores on the ground.
The Bills are one of the more high octane offenses in the league and Daboll deserves a lot of praise for it.
It’s key to note that in 2017, Daboll joined Nick Saban as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and QB coach. The Alabama QB at the time for most of the season was none other than Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. Having that familiarity with one Eagles QB is an advantage for the front office, but being able to fix an offense and turned them into a top 5 offense is even more attractive as this could help with their Carson Wentz situation.
Who do you want to see hired as Doug Pederson's replacement? Let us know in the comments!
Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire
