Eagles Approached Josh McCown About Coaching Role
Whenever Josh McCown decides to hang up his cleats, it sounds like he’ll have an opportunity to pursue a new career path. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles discussed “the idea of [McCown] returning to the team in a coaching role” next season.
McCown had retired following the 2018 season and caught on with ESPN as an analyst. However, he later signed with the Eagles following injuries to backups Nate Sudfeld and Cody Kessler. The 18-year veteran ended up appearing in three games for Philly, and he filled in for Carson Wentz during the team’s playoff loss to the Seahawks.
Eagles To Pursue CBs In Free Agency
The Eagles are expected to “go hard” after cornerbacks in free agency, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network hears. Philadelphia is projected to have around $44MM in cap space, and the club plans to use a big chunk of that on a CB or two.
The Broncos’ Chris Harris and the Cowboys’ Byron Jones are two of the biggest names being thrown around, and assuming they do not re-up with their current clubs, they will hit free agency with a good shot at a top-of-the-market deal (i.e. $15MM+ per year with upwards of $45MM in full guarantees). However, the Eagles will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to upgrade their CB corps, per Pauline.
Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby are also eligible for free agency, and it’s unclear if the Eagles will bring back either player. They may explore a multiyear deal with Mills, who played decently after returning from injury in Week 7, but it would not be a surprise to see them part ways with Darby. Plus, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com writes, Philadelphia does not consider Rasul Douglas or Sidney Jones starter material, and both are trade candidates.
As such, there will clearly be room for several cornerbacks on the Eagles’ 2020 roster. In 2019, the team finished in the middle of the pack in terms of pass defense efficiency, per Football Outsiders, and in passing yards allowed per game, so an upgrade is in order. Of course, they did their best to swing a trade for a quality CB (including Harris) at this year’s trade deadline, but they ultimately did not want to part with the type of draft capital that such a trade would have required.
Chiefs To Retain Mike Kafka
Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka isn’t going anywhere. Kafka will stick on Andy Reid’s coaching staff in 2020, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter), which means that he won’t be leaving for the Eagles’ offensive coordinator vacancy or any other club.
The Eagles had interest in Kafka as an OC candidate, but they’ve been informed that Reid won’t let him stray. It’s possible that Kafka could receive a new title to stay in KC, but nothing has been made official on that front. Eric Bieniemy did not land a head coaching job in this cycle, so a bump up to OC is off the table.
With that, the Eagles have lost out on yet another OC option. USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell was on the radar, but earlier this week, he opted to return to the Trojans. Before that, Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban declined their request for an interview and ex-Redskins OC Kevin O’Connell accept the Rams’ OC job.
The Eagles drafted Kafka in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, and the Northwestern product spent his first two seasons in the league as Philly’s backup/third-string signal-caller. After that, he parlayed his football IQ into a successful coaching career. After serving as the Chiefs’ offensive quality control coach in 2017, he was elevated to QB coach in 2018, the same year Patrick Mahomes took the league by storm.
USC OC Graham Harrell Won’t Leave For Eagles
USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell won’t leave the school to take on the same role with the Eagles, Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears. It’s not clear whether Harrell would have gotten the job in Philly, but he was among the coaches on their radar.
The Eagles bounced Mike Groh earlier this month, shortly after head coach Doug Pederson inadvertently told reporters that he’d be staying on board. Since then, they’ve seen Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban decline their request for an interview and ex-Redskins OC Kevin O’Connell accept the same job with the Rams.
It’s not clear where the Eagles will go from here. They’ve been connected to Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, but they’ve yet to schedule an interview.
Harrell became USC’s OC last year after Kliff Kingsbury left for the Cardinals. In 2019, USC ranked 20th last season with 454 yards per game, improving significantly from its 382.6 average in 2018.
Eagles Expected To Request OC Interview With Mike Kafka
The Eagles are still on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator after firing Mike Groh earlier this month, and their search could lead them to a familiar face. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Philadelphia is expected to request an interview with Chiefs QB coach Mike Kafka.
The Eagles drafted Kafka in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, and the Northwestern product spent his first two seasons in the league as Philly’s backup/third-string signal-caller. He got looks with a number of clubs after he was cut by the Eagles in the summer of 2012, but he chose to end his playing career and try his hand at coaching in 2016, returning to his alma mater as an offensive graduate assistant.
His football IQ was always considered perhaps his best trait, and he has risen quickly through the coaching ranks. After serving as the Chiefs’ offensive quality control coach in 2017, he was elevated to QB coach in 2018, the same year Patrick Mahomes took the league by storm. We heard back in October that Kafka was considered a future NFL head coach, and he may have been promoted to Kansas City OC if Eric Bieniemy had gotten a head coaching job this year.
But because Eagles head coach Doug Pederson calls offensive plays, Rapoport says Chiefs head coach Andy Reid may block the interview request and give Kafka a promotion on KC’s staff.
The Eagles are also reportedly interested in Ravens QB coach James Urban and USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.
Eagles Fire DL Coach Phillip Daniels
Phillip Daniels‘ stint as an Eagles coach has come to an end. Jeff McLane of the Philly Inquirer reports that the organization has fired the defensive line coach.
“Thank you to the Eagles organization for 4 great years,” Daniels said on Twitter. “I’m proud of what we accomplished as a DL and even prouder of what we accomplished this season against all odds. Thank you to Mr. Lurie and entire Eagles Org.”
Daniels played 15 years in the NFL with the Seahawks, Bears, and Redskins before joining the Washington front office as their Director of Player Development in 2012. He later joined the Eagles coaching staff as their assistant defensive line coach, and he earned a promotion to the lead role last offseason.
As McLane notes, Daniels took over a defensive line that led the NFL in linemen sacks (36.5) in 2018. During his lone season at the helm, the grouping compiled 33 sacks, and they were a top-three squad when it came to stopping the run.
This move means the Eagles now have four vacancies on their coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Mike Groh and wideouts coach Carson Walch were canned last week, while defensive backs coach Cory Undlin joined the Lions as their new defensive coordinator.
Eagles Add Connor Barwin To Front Office
Connor Barwin will transition into the personnel side of the game. After being rumored to be a consideration for an Eagles staff role, the former edge rusher will join the team as special assistant to the GM, the team announced.
Barwin, who announced his retirement late last year, will work in a scouting role during the offseason and shift to development during the season. This marks a fairly quick transition for the 33-year-old retiree, who played four seasons with the Eagles.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman signed Barwin as a free agent in 2013, and the former Texans edge player racked up 31.5 of his 56.5 career sacks as an Eagle. He later played for the Rams and Giants but did not suit up during the 2019 season.
This job offer emerged after Barwin contacted Roseman about a role with the organization, according to the team. Over the second half of this season, the 10-year veteran and current Philadelphia resident played a role in assisting some of the Eagles’ younger players. Barwin has begun the scouting part of his job, attending East-West Shrine Game practices and is ticketed to do the same at the Senior Bowl.
“I’m done playing football, but my football career is not over,” Barwin said during an interview with PhiladelphiaEagles.com’s Dave Spadaro. “I want to stay involved. I want to help this team wherever I can and also learn the other side of the game from the coaches and the personnel side.”
Eagles To Interview USC’s Graham Harrell For OC Job
The Eagles will look to the college ranks during their offensive coordinator search, with Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweeting USC OC Graham Harrell is set to interview for the job.
A former Texas Tech quarterback who spent time with the Packers and Jets in the 2010s, Harrell was the Trojans’ OC last season. He stepped into that role after Kliff Kingsbury abruptly left the position to become the Cardinals’ head coach.
Harrell is a Mike Leach disciple, playing in the pass-happy coach’s Air Raid offense in Lubbock, Texas, before following him to Washington State and serving as the Cougars’ wide receivers coach after his NFL career ended. Harrell, 34, spent three years as North Texas’ offensive coordinator before becoming USC’s OC in 2019. Kingsbury took that job in December 2018 but soon accepted the Cards’ job offer.
USC ranked 20th last season with 454 yards per game, improving significantly from its 382.6 average in 2018. This occurred after sophomore quarterback J.T. Daniels went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1, thrusting true freshman Kedon Slovis into the Trojans’ lineup. Harrell still stands as an unorthodox candidate, with his last connection to the NFL being as a reserve quarterback after going undrafted in 2009. He finished fourth in the 2008 Heisman voting, teaming with Michael Crabtree to lead Texas Tech to an 11-2 season as a senior.
The Eagles fired Mike Groh after two seasons on the job. They’ve been connected to Jim Caldwell and ex-Redskins OC Kevin O’Connell for the job. The Rams, however, hired O’Connell to be their OC. The Eagles also had Ravens QBs coach James Urban as a canidadate, but John Harbaugh confirmed Friday he took himself out of the running after interviewing for the job.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Jeffery
New head coach Mike McCarthy has plenty of changes in the works for the Cowboys, but they won’t be straying from their 4-3 defense. When speaking with reporters, McCarthy confirmed that the team’s base will continue to be four down linemen, though they’ll mix things up with their playbook (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic).
The defense will be run by Mike Nolan, who joined McCarthy in Dallas earlier this month. On the other side of the ball, Kellen Moore will stay as the OC and be in charge of play calling.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles’ need for help at wide receiver is glaring, but the contracts of Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson will limit their flexibility, as Zach Berman of The Athletic writes. Releasing Jeffery, who is coming off of an injury-riddled and subpar season, would saddle the Eagles with $26.1MM in dead money and zero cap savings. A trade would result in $16.2MM in dead money – a slightly less painful hit – but they’d likely have to sweeten the pot with a draft pick, a la the Brock Osweiler deal. Jeffery reportedly clashed with teammates last year, but the Eagles are probably stuck with him. If Jeffery isn’t on the roster, Berman writes, it’ll show just how badly the relationship soured.
- Regarding Jackson, Berman believes his place on the roster is more of a given. Cutting DJax after he missed much of the season with an abdomenal injury might be a stronger consideration if it wouldn’t cost the Eagles $12.54MM with zero cap relief. Instead, you can expect DJax to fly with the Birds yet again in 2020. The Eagles will hope that the 33-year-old can stay healthy and resume his place as one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats.
- In more positive cap news, the Eagles are projected to have $46.9MM to spend this offseason. Eagles GM Howie Roseman could push that number even higher by trading safety Malcolm Jenkins or linebacker Nigel Bradham, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP writes. Jenkins is adamant that he won’t play for the Eagles “on the same deal” in 2020, so a trade seems likely if the two sides cannot come to an accord on an extension.
Panthers Still Interested In Andrew Berry
The Panthers are still interested in speaking with Eagles VP of Football Operations Andrew Berry for their Executive VP of Football Operations role, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets. However, the Panthers would likely have to offer Berry control over the roster in order for the Eagles to grant permission.
Earlier this week, the Eagles rejected the Panthers’ request to chat with Berry, citing the roster control issue. At present, the Panthers’ roster is controlled by GM Marty Hurney.
The Panthers may or may not want to stick with Hurney as their front office leader for the 2020 offseason, but Berry’s candidacy for this particular job could wind up being moot. On Friday, Berry will interview for the Browns’ GM vacancy. The Eagles can’t prevent him from accepting an offer there and he could be off the table for the Panthers in a matter of days.