The Coaching Search Continues

Just three years removed from The Eagles first ever SuperBowl title the organization has parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson. While the move was not met without criticism, most of the fan base has resigned themselves to the fact it was best to mutually part ways with the man who brought this city the ultimate glory.

So now for the third time in the last eight years Jeffery Lurie is tasked with hiring the next man who will lead this team. There have been quite a few names linked to the team, some of which have already filled vacancies with other organizations. We will be examining the coaches left to see who will best fit the needs of this team going through one of the most tumultuous situations in the NFL.

Brian Daboll

The offensive coordinator comes with an excellent pedigree working with Bill Belichick in New England, Nick Saban at Alabama and most recently former Eagles DC and current Buffalo Bills HC Sean McDermott. His tenure with the Bills has helped Josh Allen grow from a high upside QB struggling to put it together, to a dominant force in the NFL. Josh Allen’s play this year is reminiscent of Carson Wentz 2017 season where he had a beautiful deep ball and was a constant threat with his legs. That alone is enough to make eagles fans salivate at the prospect of bringing in a man who could get Carson back to that level of play. He’s been courted by almost every team with a head coaching vacancy and the Birds were late to the party by not firing Doug on Black Monday. While Carson’s past production and talent level may be enough to sway Daboll into taking the job, Philadelphia is competing with Houston and the LA Chargers who have ultra talented QBs of their own. I’d put the chances of Daboll being the next HC of the Eagles at around 33%

Duce Staley

A fan favorite player, a player favorite coach, and an organizational favorite person.

Duce has been a stalwart in Philadelphia as a coach and player for over 20 years. He was one of the few holdovers from the Andy Reid era and survived the full scale purge of the Chip Kelly regime. He has been in charge of the running backs room for excellent seasons by LeSean McCoy, Legarette Blount, Jay Ajayi, and has helped put Miles Sanders and Boston Scott on the map league wide. He makes sense for more than a few reasons. He is familiar with the executives, players and fan base. He has the respect and love of the team. He knows this city and knows all the right things to do and say when it comes to the media. He has been a Super Bowl champ as a player and a coach. He also knows what the players on this team like to run and what puts them in the best position to succeed. Unfortunately this front office is obsessed with the passing game which makes a former runningback and runningbacks coach seem like an unlikely fit for what Jeff Lurie has traditionally valued in a head coach.

I would put Duces chances of becoming the next head coach of the Eagles at around 40%

Eric Bieniemy

All season long it seemed like Eric Bieniemy was the coach to have this offseason. But with three of the seven coaching vacancies already filled the odds of the Eagles obtaining his services have marginally improved. Bieniemy comes from the impressive coaching tree of Andy Reid, and if the hiring of Doug Pederson tells us anything Lurie still values Big Reds opinions.

Bieniemy and the Eagles pairing up makes a ton of sense for both parties. He has helped turn Pat Mahomes into one of the most dominant forces in professional sports as an OC and the organization would love to see those results recreated with either Carson Wentz of Jalen Hurts. He also was the runningbacks coach from 13-17 in a very creative and innovative rushing attack by the Chiefs.

Coming to Philly also benefits Bieniemy. Taking the job in Philly brings him to an organization with a winning pedigree and two young QBs to choose from; as opposed to Detroit with an aging QB and a franchise who is traditionally among the bottom feeders. He will have insight as to with how things work here from Andy as opposed to the job with the Chargers. Coming to Philly takes him out of the AFC West and into a much easier division where he doesn’t have to face his mentor 2-3 times per year. It also is more intriguing than the Houston job; a team who has no 1st or 2nd round pick an aging defense and a stud QB who wants out of town.

Some people have reservations about Bieniemy seeing that he has had arguably the easiest job in football coaching the most explosive offense in recent memory, and that Andy is known for calling a majority of the plays. But hey, the last Andy Reid disciple they hired brought the city a Lombardi so the rewards could far outweigh the risks.

I put the chances of The Eagles hiring Eric Bieniemy at 50% with their main competition being the Chargers.

Joe Brady

It seems like every year there is a fresh, under 40, innovative offensive mind being touted as a head coaching candidate.

Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan in 2017.

Matt Nagy in 2018.

Matt Lafleur, Zac Taylor and Kliff Kingsbury in 2019.

Kevin Stefanski in 2020.

And now we have Joe Brady in 2021.

It’s a copycat league and the 31 year old wunderkind has had a meteoric rise reminiscent of Sean McVay a few years ago.

Just 5 years ago Joe Brady was a graduate assistant for the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley, he was then brought in by Sean Payton as an offensive assistant with New Orleans before being hired by LSU in 2019 as a WR coach and a pass game coordinator. Everyone knows the story, he went to LSU and helped take Joe Burrow from a fringe day 2 pick into a Heisman winning, record setting, number 1 draft pick; while developing WRs Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase and Terrance Marshall into high level NFL prospects. The success of LSUs offense under his tutelage drew the eye of Matt Rhule and the Carolina Panthers, who made him the offensive coordinator of the team at only 30 years old.

You can draw a lot of parallels between the Panthers and Eagles offensive personnel.

A first round QB with high upside but an unfortunately catastrophic injury (Bridgewater/Wentz).

A shifty home run hitting runningback who excels in space (McCaffery/Sanders).

A WR group filled with young speedsters (Anderson, Moore, Samuels/Reagor,Watkins,Hightower).

Even without the best pass catching runningback in the league, Joe Brady helped Teddy Bridgewater post a career year. His fresh schemes and history as a WR Coach also helped Robbie Anderson, DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel to personal best marks in receiving yards.

The Eagles are always trying to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the trends of the league. A 31 year old who’s already excelled in college and the pro game, who prioritizes the pass, who’s helped a QB with a terrible leg injury regain his form, paired with his overflowing potential; has the Eagles names written all over it. Much like Doug had; Duce and Bieniemy would have an Andy Reid blueprint built in. Joe Brady would bring a brand new philosophy on offense that could help shape the league for years to come. That prospect alone may be too enticing for Jeffery Lurie to pass up on.

I put the Eagles chances of hiring Joe Brady at 60%

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