Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Eagles trade for Seahawks’ Bennett
Super Bowl champs bolster defensive line, complete coaching staff changes
The Eagles announced changes to their coaching staff Wednesday amid reports they’re agreed to a deal that will bring them Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett.
The Eagles are shipping wide receiver Marcus Johnson and a fifthround pick to the Seahawks for Bennett and a seventh-rounder, according to ESPN. The trade cannot be official until March 14. The Seahawks need to trade or cut Bennett before March 18 to avoid paying him a $3 million roster bonus. Bennett is due $1.65 million in base pay this season.
Bennett (6-4, 271) has 54 sacks in nine NFL seasons, the last five with the Seahawks. The only Eagle with more sacks last season was Brandon Graham, who had 9½, and recently turned 29.
Bennett turns 33 in November. He’s been productive and durable despite the advancing years, registering 48 sacks and missing just five games over the last six seasons. The veteran also remains a solid runstopper capable of setting the edge.
The addition of Bennett would give the Eagles a defensive end rotation of Graham and Derek Barnett entering next season.
It could mark the end of the line for veteran defensive end Chris Long, who did a solid job with the Eagles last year. Long is a free agent March 14. The trade likely means veteran Vinny Curry, who played inside and outside last season, won’t be back unless he takes a pay cut. Curry, 29, is due $9 million in base pay next season and would count $11 million against the salary cap.
The Eagles also finalized changes to the coaching staff necessary after Frank Reich exited to become head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, and John DeFilippo split to take the offensive coordinator job of the Minnesota Vikings.
Mike Groh, previously the wide receivers coach, has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Like head coach Doug Pederson, Groh played quarterback, albeit at Virginia. That seems to be a prerequisite to game plan for Pederson.
Groh was wide receivers coach/ passing game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2016. The previous two seasons he wide receivers coach of the Chicago Bears.
Groh coached at Alabama, Louisville and Virginia for a total of 10 season.
Groh is the son of Al Groh, serving his father as an assistant on the staff of the New York Jets in 2000.
Duce Staley, the runner-up offensive coordinator, will continue to coach the running backs. He was promoted to assistant head coach.
Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland will keep that title. He also added run game coordinator to his duties.
The Eagles promoted Press Taylor to quarterbacks coach, Trent Miles to offensive quality control/ running backs coach and Spencer Phillips to offensive quality control/ quarterbacks coach.
Gunter Brewer was hired as wide receivers coach, and Carson Walch will assist him.
Brewer spent the last six seasons as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at North Carolina.
Walch spent the last two years with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos, most recently as offensive coordinator/receivers coach. The previous season was receivers/passing game coordinator coach.