Grotz: A peek at possible Pederson replacements
Changes are ahead for the Eagles, who have double-digit losses for the first time in eight years, are out of the playoffs after three straight appearances and have just one win over a non-backup quarterback.
The defense has been shelled for
500 or more yards in consecutive games. Special teams is more miss than hit.
Eagles players, head coach Doug Pederson and the front office headed by general manager Howie Roseman are all to blame. No excuses. There wasn’t a team in the league unchallenged by injuries or COVID-19 protocols this season.
The Eagles’ quarterback situation is an illustration of the divide between head coach and general manager, and where change could happen.
Pederson wanted to start rookie Jalen Hurts weeks before actually flexing his muscles and making the change. Management was reluctant to shelve the struggling Carson Wentz, who played just
12 games yet still leads the NFL in giveaways.
Pederson said this week that he wants to return, that he knows how to fix the Eagles and that he’d like to be in on personnel decisions. He also said he wouldn’t be foolish enough to cross the line in personnel decisions, whatever that means.
Anybody confident Pederson can do all of that?
It’s early but other than veteran center Jason Kelce, there hasn’t been a lot of public support among players for Pederson.
It’s also safe to say Wentz will never again trust Pederson. If the Eagles open the 2021 starting quarterback job to competition,
Hurts won’t trust Pederson, either. And nobody in that group will trust Roseman and management.
So, while we’re here, let’s look at a few alternatives just in case Pederson merely is lobbying to keep his job having been indirectly notified that his services would be in demand should the Eagles let him go.
LINCOLN RILEY, HEAD COACH, OKLAHOMA » Sure, owner Jeffrey Lurie got burned when he yanked Chip Kelly out of the college ranks. But Kelly wasn’t the worst head coaching choice, going 26
21 in three seasons. The league caught up to his up-tempo system around the time outspoken cornerback Cary Williams said the quick three-and-outs and offensive possessions were killing the defense.
The 37-year-old Riley is
44-8 in four seasons with the Sooners. He’s developed Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, the first overall picks in their respective drafts, and spent a year working with Hurts. Components of Riley’s Air Raid offense are already in the NFL. His attention to detail is legend.
If the Eagles hired Riley — we’ve heard indirectly they would be impressed — they could keep defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. All Schwartz would have to do weekly is give the Eagles that one big stop, as he did in their Super Bowl win over the Patriots.
ERIC BIENIEMY, OFFEN
SIVE COORDINATOR, CHIEFS » There could be a lot of competition for Bieniemy, who like Pederson, developed under Andy Reid and is quietly creative.
Bieniemy was a running back in the league but isn’t married to the run. He’s a lot like Reid in that he makes plays look more com
plicated than they are with motion and misdirection.
There are rumors that Bieniemy and John Dorsey, the long-time front office executive working as a consultant with the Eagles, could become a package deal. They worked together in Kansas City.
Dorsey, by the way, is a better judge of talent than Roseman. (So is Pederson, for that matter.)
DAVID SHAW, HEAD COACH STANFORD » Shaw, 48, has guided the Cardinal to a 90-36 record since 2011 despite rigid recruiting restrictions due to academics. His teams rarely beat themselves and compete annually for Pac 12 titles.
Shaw has been too comfortable to move to the
NFL. He’s earning more than $4 million per year, according to reports. But the NCAA’s new transfer rule, making it more difficult to keep a team together, and the name, image and likeness rules allowing student athletes to cash in on their cache could be all the nudge needs to take the next challenge.
Shaw has extensive NFL experience ranging from quality control with the Eagles in 1997, to quarterbacks coach with the Raiders from
1998-01, to quarterbacks/ wide receivers coach with the Ravens from 2002-05.
The Eagles almost certainly would want to interview Shaw should they go in another direction.
MIKE KAFKA, QUARTERBACKS COACH/PASS
ING GAME COORDINATOR, CHIEFS » What a story this would be, the Eagles hiring the quarterback they took off the board in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.
Kafka spent just two seasons in the NFL thanks to arm injuries after a career at Northwestern. In his short time with the Eagles, he knew the offense inside and out. He just didn’t have enough arm.
There were reports the Eagles wanted Kafka to be their offensive coordinator after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Reid couldn’t block Kafka from taking a head coaching job.
The only real question is, is the 33-year-old Kafka ready?
Those are just a few mentions should the Eagles decide that Pederson isn’t, and doesn’t have, the answer.