The Eagles contacted University of Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley hours after firing Doug Pederson, according to Geoff Mosher of Inside The Birds. We’ve heard Riley’s name come up in recent years, but the Eagles are the first team in this cycle to reach out to him directly. 
[RELATED: Eagles Fire Doug Pederson]
Riley has amassed a 45-8 record since taking over for Bob Stoops in 2017. Though the Sooners came up short in the postseason, Riley’s work with No. 1 overall picks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray has put him squarely on the pro radar. Riley also coached Eagles starting QB Jalen Hurts, making him a logical candidate for Philly.
“In terms of the characteristics, I’d rather not specify, but I can tell you no matter who we have, it needs to be a leader of coaches, a leader of players and someone who represents the organization in a great leadership way,” owner Jeffrey Lurie said on Monday. “I think there’s a couple ways to skin that cat. You can hire somebody really steeped in offense or you’ve seen great offenses coached by head coaches coming from the defensive side.
“I don’t think there’s any predilection for one over the other, but I do think somebody that is constantly curious of where the league is headed and what you need to do to have really good units and again, without a really good elite offense, I tend to err on that side. But not that side of the ball for head coach. Doesn’t matter.”
The Eagles may also consider Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka for the vacancy. Kafka, like Pederson, comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree. The Eagles even wanted to hire him as their offensive coordinator a year ago, but Reid blocked the move.
Lincoln Riley won’t take this job if he’s smart. He will not have total control of his team, on the field and in the locker room. Jeff Lurie and Howie Roseman like to meddle in both.
So I feel like yesterday they had to pick between Wentz and Pederson and they choose Wentz.
Don’t you think if they somehow land Riley, that he would want to team back up with Hurts?
That was my first thoughts as well, they certainly had to pick one. I think they realized due to the Wentz contract they were stuck with him, they can’t cut him and he’s almost untradeable with that contract unless they eat a ton of money and dead cap. They’re stuck with him but that doesn’t mean they have to play him. Maybe they clean house and start from scratch anyway.
It has been reported that upon seeking a trade, Wentz would be willing to renegotiate his existing deal, to make it easier for the team to deal him away.
One premise presented by a local reporter had Wentz repaying the team $19m in bonus money. His new team could easily tear up his existing deal and sign him to a new deal.
That premise is hard to stomach considering Wentz’s agent will be unhappy, and the NFLPA does not like the optics of a player giving money back/redoing a deal.
If he stays he’s absolutely playing. Lurie will not allow his $$$ QB to sit the bench. That’s not opinion but fact; fact based on what’s happened in recent history.
I’m not going to act like I know for sure, but Philly would still take a huge hit to their cap in dead money wouldn’t they? I dont think it’s as easy to trade him as you’re making it sound.
Again, much of the dead cap is tied to bonuses paid, roster bonuses, etc. The team taking him assumes his salary.
Like I said, he can throw out the existing deal and do another with a new team, should a team trade for him. I believe the only dead cap the Eagles would incur is bonus money they owe him.
There is 1% chance the Eagles trade him under his existing contract.
I don’t think it was necessarily an either/or with Pederson and Wentz.I would not be surprised to see Wentz gone too especially if they can get him to give back part of his bonus in order to facilitate a trade to somewhere he would be happier like Indianapolis because of his great relationship with Frank Reich their HC whom he had his best year working with.
Stay at Oklahoma!
Lol….he turned down the cowboys who are his fav nfl team…..he’s sure as hell not going to philly. Dream on.
He has 1 of the Dozen best jobs in all of football
Beat Texas every year and he will make Tons of cash
He’s not going anywhere, at least not for awhile. He’s got a dream job at OU, NO CHANCE he leaves it to coach the Eagles