Birds Continue to Drag Feet on DC Job, Vick Gets Endorsement

And again, it's the same old story: defensive coaching. I'll tell you, I'm going to pop a champagne cork when Joe Banner finally hires a defensive coordinator, if only because I'll have other things to write about. Now that the rant is out of the way, here's the low down.

Last week it was reported that the Eagles were interviewing Dennis Allen of the New Orleans Saints, one of the last of a quickly dwindling pool of DC candidates. For about a day Allen's Wikipedia entry even listed him as the Eagles' defensive coordinator. The entry was corrected, and Allen did not come to Philly. Instead, he has been snatched up by the Denver Broncos.

In addition to this, the defensive staff continues to bleed out of Philly as another coach leaves. Linebackers coach Bill Shuey's contract expired and was not renewed by the Birds. There is still speculation about Eagles management being interested in a coach from one of the two Superbowl teams, but as the end of

the postseason draws nearer, there will be little time to make offers, especially offers that compete with those made by the Superbowl champion and contender. Long story short, the Eagles need to have a game plan, otherwise you can forget next year's defense.

In other news, quarterback Michael Vick just received his first endorsement since being released from prison. The endorsement comes from Unequal Technologies, the maker of the football pads Vick used this past year. This is a major point for the once-highest paid player in the NFL who is now on a very short financial leash.

The Eagles have been losing someone nearly every other week this offseason, the only brightside being that none of the losses are key players. Hopefully on Thursday I'll be bringing all of you some good news regarding Nnamdi Asomugha and/or Al Harris.

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Defensive Speculation Continues in Philly

I never meant to dedicate this many of my posts to the Eagles defensive situation, but the hits just keep on coming. Last night the Browns picked up Eagles defensive backs coach Dick Jauron as their defensive coordinator. The Eagles now have very few choices remaining, and some are critical of the Eagles' apparent reluctance in Jauron's case, however they may be waiting for something bigger. There has been speculation about the the team's interest in the linebacker coaches of the Packers and the Bears.

The Eagles had first-hand experience (twice) of the defense Kevin Greene is a part of, and that may factor into their decision to interview him at the end of the Packers' postseason. Greene's relative lack of experience has been brought up, two years as opposed to McDermott's seven-plus, though from this season's handling of defensive strategy (especially in the postseason), Greene's resume begins to look better.

Ideally, the Bears' linebacker coach Bob Babich would be the better choice, with his quarter century's worth of experience, though it is doubtful he would leave the Bears staff and head coach Lovie Smith. Despite this, Babich would be an quality addition to the Eagles coaching staff and help to cement a revamped defensive staff.



While there are still quality choices, there are only four short weeks until the postseason is over, and the Eagles will have to make a decision, or be left with a vacant position at worst, or an ineffectual defensive coordinator at best. Time's not ours anymore, Andy.

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New Defensive Coaching Updates in Philly

This past week I've been covering the defensive shakeup in Philadelphia, and it's been a busy week for a team that's out of the playoffs. Defensive coordinators have been moving all around the league this week, but none have yet come to Philly. The Eagles have wasted little time hiring a replacement for their recently fired defensive line coach Rory Segrest. Jim Washburn, the defensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans, is the Birds' newest acquisition in this tumultuous offseason. The new coach promises to bring some much needed invigoration to the defensive line which may have been lacking in intensity this past season.

The Eagles were reported to have talked to Dean Pees, of the Baltimore Ravens, however Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated that Pees has not been interviewing in Philadelphia.

With many defensive coordinator-candidates quickly being spoken for, and Jim Mora taking the year off from coaching, it seems to be coming down to candidates Bill Davis and Dick Jauron, though last night respected Eagles writer Les Bowen issued this cryptic tweet:




This has helped keep up the talk of a possible interview with the Jets' current defensive coordinator (and Philly native), Mike Pettine. While Pettine has denied the rumors of an interview when the Jets end their postseason, he has made some interesting remarks about wanting the head coaching job for his hometown team. With Andy Reid's contract up in 2013, you can bet these statements will be examined and dissected for a possible regime change.


If both the rumor and Pettine's denial are true, there is still a plethora of talent in the postseason coaching staffs. Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau would be an incredible addition to the coaching staff, despite rumors of his possible retirement. Bringing LeBeau in would also cement the rumor of the Eagles moving to a 3-4 defense. John Mitchell, the Steelers' defensive line coach would also be an ideal, but extremely unlikely candidate. A more likely name coming from the postseason is Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac. His name has been brought up as a good possibility to replace the ousted Sean McDermott, and it would not be his first go-around in Philly. Trgovac was Ray Rhodes' defensive line coach during Rhodes' entire tenure during the '90s. The other big names in the postseason are the Bears' Rod Marinelli, of the 2008 Detroit Lions head coaching fame (they went 0-16 that year), and the Packers' Dom Capers, though reports say he's staying put.

Although the Eagles still don't have a defensive coordinator, the fact that they were able to snatch up Washburn and the idea of courting a postseason defensive coach leaves many fans feeling hopeful, if not wary. We'll be following the developments and hope to bring you an updated situation Saturday night.

Update: Another unofficial name to toss into the hat would be the recently fired Chuck Cecil, former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator. And you thought it couldn't get any crazier.

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The Defensive Shakeup in Philadelphia

Now that the dust is slowly settling on the firing of Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, the details are bubbling to the surface, along with news of other defensive coaching changes. It seems that Andy Reid let McDermott go Wednesday, reportedly citing Jim Johnson's legend as an excuse for the termination. For those keeping score at home, the announcement came a mere two days after Reid told the press that the defensive coordinator would be returning for the 2011-2012 season. According to the Eagles, the delay would allow McDermott to start seeking alternative employment. Another, more likely reason for McDermott's termination is the recent revelation that some, if not much of the defensive players disagreed with his style of defense. Add to that the news that McDermott was on thin ice since the end of last season, coupled with this season's poor performance, and suddenly the firing seems more and more of an inevitability. While sources spotted McDermott interviewing in Denver, it has been confirmed that he will be taking the defensive coordinator position with the Carolina Panthers instead.



Since the news broke, there have been talks of Seahawks coach Jim Mora becoming the Eagles' new DC, though it is now believed he will most likely join the Denver Broncos' coaching staff in the same capacity. Mike Singletary was another candidate, first discussed before McDermott was even fired. On Monday, ESPN's SportsCenter speculated that Singletary would most likely go to work for former teammate Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings, a report later confirmed by Singletary. The Eagles also considered Rob Ryan, brother of Jets coach Rex and son of legendary Eagles coach Buddy Ryan, only to lose him to the division rival Dallas Cowboys.



If Mora joins the Broncos, now all but an inevitability, the Eagles are left with former Bills coach and current defensive backs coach Dick Jauron, who is currently being considered by the Cleavland Browns, and Bill Davis, the former Cardinals defensive coordinator. Considering the shift of DCs around the league, the Eagles need to move quickly if they plan to build a better defensive plan for next season. Jauron seems the optimal choice, having a familiarity with the defensive players and overall strengths and weaknesses of the team...provided he stays on the market long enough for the Eagles to hire him.

In the midst of all this was the firing of the Eagles' defensive line coach, Rory Segrest. This could spell trouble for the Eagles' defense for the 2011-2012 season, given the strong possibility of a lockout. If a compromise is not reached between the NFLPA and the owners on a new CBA by the March 4th deadline, any new defensive coordinator, defensive line coach, and (if Jauron leaves) defensive backs coach would likely have very little, if any, time to meet the defensive players, institute a system (many believe the Eagles will shift to a 3-4 defensive scheme), and have the players practice new defensive plays.

With all these factors in play, will the Eagles make a smart move, or will they be forced to make a desperate move? One can only hope that the front office steps up quickly to avoid what could be a disastrous showing in 2011.