Here’s what the experts are saying about new Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni

The search is over. The Eagles are hiring Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni as the team’s new head coach.

Eric Bieniemy, Duce Staley, Joe Brady, and Josh McDaniels all seemed like more popular names to replace Doug Pederson, but familiarity doesn’t always bring championships. Players, media and front office executives who know Sirianni are offering their thoughts on the recent hire.

Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles reporter Jeff McLane called the hire “unpredictably predictable.”

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been one of the NFL’s hottest candidates over the last two seasons. He comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree and has helped Kansas City become one of the league’s most dynamic offenses. His knock is not calling plays, but multiple people have said that Frank Reich called plays with the Colts. The Eagles requested an interview for Bieniemy, but Kansas City’s current playoff run might have put that on hold.

Sirianni has coached with the Colts, Chiefs and Chargers over the last nine seasons. He is just 39 years old, but he will come to Philly with experience. All of that experience means that many players, coaches and team personnel members have interacted with him.

This is where things get interesting. Even though Sirianni wasn’t a hotshot name interviewing for the NFL’s head-coaching vacancies, he seems like the ideal Eagles candidate. The Andy Reid tree lives on. Pederson became a head coach after his time with Reid. Frank Reich is now the Colts’ head man after serving as offensive coordinator under Pederson during the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning season. Reid, Reich and Pederson weren’t options, so Sirianni and Bienemy were the closest associates. With Sirianni’s experience as a QB coach, some people believe this hire should help Carson Wentz find his MVP-caliber form from 2017.