Graham hoping for ‘real’ replacement to Schwartz
In the coming weeks, the Eagles will begin their search for a defensive coordinator to replace Jim Schwartz.
After five years, Schwartz said he will sit out the 2021 season, although the Eagles have yet to make the formal announcement.
If the Eagles want to stick with Schwartz’s schemes, they can always stay in-house and make defensive line coach Matt Burke the coordinator. The 44-year-old was Schwartz’s right-hand man, working for him in Tennessee and Detroit.
Burke was the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins in 2018, although not a very good one. He joined Schwartz last year and though technically an assistant to Phillip Daniels, then the defensive line coach, he had enough power that Daniels moved on.
If Eagles Pro Bowl defensive end Brandon Graham is asked for a suggestion, he’d check the box on Burke. The Eagles finished third in the league with 49 sacks, including a team-leading 8.0 by Graham.
“I like him as our position coach,” Graham said. “As a coordinator, I never had him as a coordinator. I know things would change because he’s a coordinator but I love him as a coach. We had some good times this year. To get 40 sacks in the year we had, as far as 4-11-1, that was big time and I’m happy we accomplished that as a group. But I know we left some stuff out there, too, that we can get better on. We have some unfinished stuff we need to settle next year which I know we will.”
The Eagles’ sack total didn’t translate into enough takeaways, though. Only three teams had fewer interceptions than the Eagles, who finished with 11. The Eagles had 19 takeaways, ninth-fewest in the league. The defense finished 19th in yards allowed (363.1 ypg).
Injuries were a factor, but so were players evaluations. The Eagles shipped third- and fifth-round picks to the Detroit Lions to secure cornerback Darius “Big Play” Slay. He finished with one interception.
Schwartz was a players coach, and he had what was left of the defense ready to stand its ground in the finale against the Washington Football Team.
Playing without Pro Bowl tackle Fletcher Cox, and ends Josh Sweat and Derek Barnett, the former firstround pick, the Eagles sacked Alex Smith three times and harassed him into throwing for 162 yards in a 20-14 defeat. Forced to throw underneath, Smith tossed two touchdown passes.
Schwartz inspired a group of players who had little to gain in the standings to go all-in for each other. That’s one of the qualities Graham would like to see in the next coordinator.
“I just want him to be real, like Schwartz,” Graham said. “He’s real, holds everybody accountable. Just be you, whoever you are, let that be you every day. You hate to see people that fake it then you eventually find out the real them later. That’s not good. Just come in being real, being themselves and knowing you’re going to have people that are going to buy into it once we learn their message.
“As the leader of this team, I want
to make sure I come ready and motivated and try to help others along the way. Just be real and be who you are and just want to win. That’s it. Have a winning mentality.”
While several names of potential candidates have been thrown against the wall, it’s pure speculation for the most part.
One gentleman who definitely is interested in the job, according to sources, is veteran Wade Phillips.
Phillips, 73, most recently developed a Super Bowl defense with the Los Angeles Rams, the 2018 unit allowing just one touchdown in a 13-3 loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in SB LIII.
Phillips was the coordinator of the Super Bowl L Denver Broncos, who sacked league MVP Cam Newton six times in a 24-10 romp over
the Carolina Panthers, the game featuring a fumble recovery for a score by now-Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson.
Phillips was the defensive coordinator of the Eagles for the late Buddy Ryan from 1986-88. The son of the late Bum Phillips, longtime coach of the Houston Oilers, Phillips has been the head coach of six teams. From 2007-10, he was 34-22 as head coach of the Cowboys.
Phillips wouldn’t be a threat to Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who has two years left on his contract.
“I’m all about whoever they feel is fit for the position, for us, and for us as a whole,” Graham said. “Matt Burke knows us, he knows the organization. He’s been here what, two, three years now? Whoever they hire we’ll be behind them 100 percent.”