Eagles head coach search: Add Josh McDaniels, Brandon Staley, and Eric Bieniemy to the list of candidates the Birds are considering
Brandon Staley, 38, is in his first year as the Rams’ top defensive coach, but the results are hard to dismiss.
The Eagles’ pool of coaching candidates is expanding even more in the coming days.
The organization added Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to the list of possible replacements for Doug Pederson, according to several media reports on Saturday.
For Bieniemy, the Eagles might have to exercise some patience. After the Rams lost to the Packers Saturday night, 32-18, in the division round, Bieniemy is the only coaching candidate on the team’s list still in the playoffs. The Chiefs play the Browns Sunday at 3:05 p.m.
With the Patriots already done for the year after a 7-9 season, McDaniels’ interview is expected to happen sooner. According to The Athletic, which was first to report the Eagles’ interest, McDaniels is expected to meet with the organization in Florida.
McDaniels has been the Patriots offensive coordinator for 12 total years, with two years as the Denver Broncos head coach, going 11-17, and one season as the Rams’ offensive coordinator sandwiched between the two stints in New England. He’s spent a total of 20 years with the Patriots.
He was expected to take the Indianapolis Colts’ head coaching job in 2017 after the Eagles beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, but backed out. His cold feet led to former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich getting the job.
The Patriots’ offense struggled this season, its first full season without Tom Brady in two decades. They ranked 27th in both yards and points scored and were 23rd in Football Outsider’s efficiency metric, defense-adjusted value of average.
Lurie briefly mentioned McDaniels during his news conference on Monday in the wake of Doug Pederson’s firing, referring to him on a first-name basis when discussing Reich’s departure. It’s worth noting Lurie, a Boston native, has long-held connections with the Patriots organization.
“We didn’t know we were going to lose Frank Reich but suddenly it happened when Josh turned that job down,” Lurie said.
Even if McDaniels meets with the team Sunday afternoon, they’ll likely be keeping tabs on Bieniemy’s status, too. NFL Network reported the Eagles requested permission to interview the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Saturday, but an interview time is to be determined because the Chiefs are still in the mix.
The Eagles are also expected to have interest in Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, but have only requested permission for Bieniemy so far.
Bieniemy’s spent the last eight years on the Kansas City coaching staff, including the last three as the team’s offensive coordinator. His offenses have ranked in the top three of DVOA every season and the Chiefs led the league in yards this year.
The 51-year-old would offer the Eagles a similar West Coast offensive scheme to the one that Doug Pederson ran. The Chiefs’ play-calling has been more creative, though, and the offense has featured some of the most productive players in the league, including Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce.
A league source confirmed the Eagles’ interest in Staley, and the team is expected to interview him now that the Rams’ season is over. Staley, 38, is in his first year as the Rams’ top defensive coach, but the results are hard to dismiss. His group was ranked fourth in defensive DVOA this season, up five spots from last year’s ranking under longtime coach Wade Phillips.
Staley is considered one of the top defensive-minded coaching candidates, largely because his two-high safety scheme has become a bit of a course correction in a league that has largely gravitated toward single-high safety defensive formations. The Seattle Seahawks popularized the single-high, Cover 3 scheme several years ago with the “Legion of Boom,” but offenses have found ways to exploit the look since so many teams adopted it.
Staley, who spent three years with Broncos coach Vic Fangio before joining the Rams, has gone the other way with great success. Obviously the Rams have plenty of defensive talent with Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald headlining the group, but they allowed the fewest passing yards, touchdown throws, and total yards in the league this season.
Hiring Staley would likely require the Eagles’ defense to undergo some personnel changes. The Rams use a 3-4 defensive front, whereas the Eagles are built to line up with four down linemen. Veteran players like Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox have played in both fronts, although Graham had much more success in the 4-3.
Staley, Bieniemy and McDaniels are all expected to receive interest from teams other than the Eagles, most notably the Texans, who are reportedly interested in all three. According to an ESPN report, Staley has a “strong relationship” with the Texans’ recently hired general manager Nick Caserio. Staley coached at John Carroll University, where Caserio went to school.
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Pederson linked to Seahawks’ OC opening
Doug Pederson has entered the coaching carousel. Less than a week after parting ways with the Eagles, the team’s former head coach spoke with the Seattle Seahawks about their vacant offensive coordinator job according to NFL Network.
Pederson may still be in the running for a head-coaching job, but this is the first time his name has come up for any opening since he became available last Monday. The Seahawks fired Brian Schottenheimer after three years and have also reportedly interviewed former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn for the opening.