[On a side note what is with the Eagles going after the former Broncos coaches? Last season it was Scangarello, this year McDaniels whose next Adam Gase for OC?]
Josh McDaniels was all but set to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts before having a last second change of heart even after some assistants had agreed to take jobs with the team. To which I say, that's why you don't leak things to the press before they're official suckers. Anyway this as we know led to Frank Reich fresh off a Super Bowl victory versus McDaniel's Patriots being hired instead. Due to this the Eagles lost the man many believe was the person who balanced out Pederson's play calls. After Reich the highly experienced coordinator left Pederson kept hiring first time coordinators who knew his system from being his assistant coaches. These guys however did not call their own plays. Just 3 years removed from their 2017 Super Bowl victory Pederson is searching for a job while Philly might be hiring McDaniels to replace him. Oh what a tangled web we weave...
So does McDaniels actually deserve a second chance after getting fired midway through his second season as the head coach in your Denver after a very Patriots scandal was discovered by the NFL? I for one believe that he does in fact deserve a second chance as a head coach, and Philly might be the place he can find at least short term success.
Philadelphia offers a very different situation than Denver or New England. In those places the owners are involved but not meddlesome when it comes to assistant coaches, or other coaching decisions and typically allow their coaches autonomy to act as they desire to an extent, or no extent in New England...Philadelphia is not that way and it's never been more evident than this past season when their first losing record since 2016 resulted in the firing of their head coach due to philosophical differences stemming from proposed player and coaching changes from the front office and owner. Maybe this is what McDaniels needs to avoid him to going too far like he did in Denver. Maybe pairing him with a salary cap wizard like Roseman and allowing there to be a partnership on talent evaluation, while having an owner whose culture is very important to him stepping in when things get a little too Belicheckian, is exactly what he needs to reign him in and allow him to be successful at the same time. One main reason he could be successful in Philly is Lurie's desire for a new offensive system.
Josh McDaniels has always run a spread based scheme with elements of wthe west coast offense to almost lull the defense into guarding the short and intermediate routes to open up the big play for their deep threat receiver. He thrives on athletic tight ends, and pass catching running backs but loves to keep a power runner in his back pocket for when the situation arises. When looking at the fit of his scheme and the players we already have on the team it makes some sense that they are looking to him to help their offense. His offense would be able to use Jalen Reagor as their deep threat out wide or have him operate in the slot, with DeSean Jackson or Greg Ward filling the other role. He will have a field day with a running back like Miles Sanders, he has never quite had a back with the type of dual threat ability that Sanders displays. Which brings me then to our tight ends, whether he keeps Zach Ertz and let's Goedert leave in free agency or trades Ertz and resigns Goedert the Eagles still have Richard Rodgers, Jason Croom, and Hakeem Butler to compete for that second tight end role. Jordan Howard is also still around should he fit the bill for McDaniels version of a powerful back for short yardage situations.
The thing that intrigues me is the coaches he could bring along. It is rumored that he could bring Jerod Mayo along with him as his defensive coordinator. Mayo jumped into coaching just 2 seasons ago and he is already interviewing for head coaching positions. At 34 years old he is likely a year or two away from being ready to run a team but running his own defense is far less of a stretch of the imagination being that during his time with the Patriots as a player he served as a captain, and defensive play caller in the huddle. He had to understand where his teammates should be at on every play, and handle audibles when needed. Mayo was well respected as a player during his career due to his lunch pail attitude that personifies the Patriot way;Do Your Job. Mayo would likely bring with him a 3-4 defense changing up another scheme we have used in Philly for the better part of 2 decades. McDaniels might be able to talk his former mentor Romeo Crennel into coming in as a senior advisor the same position he held when he mentored Mike Vrabel as the coordinator in Houston. McDaniels served as a defensive assistant under Crennel in 02 and 03.
Chad O'Shea was the offensive coordinator for the Dolphins in 2019 before being fired. He then latched on with the Browns as WR coach and passing game coordinator and quickly helped lead them to the playoffs. He also has worked under McDaniels before and is regarded as a potential replacement for him in New England as the coordinator. However I think McDaniels will lure him to join his staff as his offensive coordinator. Another potential candidate is Charlie Weis who served as the Patriots coordinator when McDaniels was hired as a personnel assistant. He worked under Weis as his qb coach in 2004 the year before Weis accepted the had coaching position at Notre Dame. Weis hasn't coached since the 2014 season and hasn't coordinated an offense since 2011 when he served as the coordinator for Florida however it would make for an intriguing hire. Speaking of the Weis's...
Charlie Weis Jr. is the current offensive coordinator/qb coach for South Florida. He could be a candidate for the QB coach position. McDaniels has always overseen his own QBs in the past but gave those duties to Mike McCoy, more on him later, when he was hired in Denver.
Mike McCoy could be another candidate for either the qb coach or offensive coordinator opening or both if McDaniels really wants to go back down that road. McCoy was fired in 2018 by the Cardinals less than halfway through the season in his only season with the team. His 2017 stint with the Broncos as coordinator also didn't last a full season. On second thought maybe qb coach only...
Matt Patricia the man who served as the defensive coordinator in New England could be another candidate to coordinate McDaniels's defense. Patricia was a solid coordinator which is the entire reason he was able to land a head coaching job although it didn't work out. Patricia is another guy who might land in New England again in 2021.
Eric Mangini is an interesting name for a couple reasons. First of all he is another former head coach who can lend some of his negative experiences to McDaniels and hopefully help make his second chance a lasting one, also Mangini has served on both sides of the ball. He spent 4 seasons as an offensive coach, 5 seasons as a head coach, 2 as a defensive coordinator, and another 8 seasons as a defensive assistant coach. He is a perfect candidate to serve as a position coach, perhaps DB's the position he coached in New England, or Tight Ends the position he last coached with the 49ers under Chip Kelly. (What was I saying about that tangled web) he could also carry the assistant head coach title aiding McDaniels directly.
Keith Burns a former special teams ace as a player was the assistant special teams coordinator under McDaniels. He was actually hired 2 seasons before McDaniels and lasted 2 seasons afterward. He was hired as the Redskins special teams coordinator in 2013, But was fired along with his former coach Mike Shanahan who had offered him the job in the first place. Burns was out of the NFL for 5 seasons before former teammate Anthony Lynn called him to join his staff with the Chargers. Lynn would later demote George Edward's and promote Burns in his place in 2020. However when Lynn was fired Burns became available for hire as the Chargers have already allowed Gus Bradley out of his contract.
Anthony Lynn is actually a candidate for a running back coach position, although it would likely have to come with an assistant head coach title. He could be a candidate as a coordinator although I believe his lack of experience in that position makes it less likely.
Ironically Adam Gase could be a candidate for just about any offensive position available. He has served as a wide receiver coach under McDaniels in Denver, coached quarterbacks under Mike McCoy, and later ran offenses and spent 4 seasons as a head coach. Why not build a star studded staff and try and bring him in to again run an offense, coach qbs or wrs.
Current area scout for the Detroit Lions Roman Phifer might be a candidate to take a defensive coaching role as the LB coach if the price is right. He served as the assistant linebackers coach under Don Martindale but hasn't coached since. 6 years later he got into the front office side of things with UNLV, and now Detroit who just fired its GM and could look to replace their scouts next.
Mike Nolan formerly the Cowboys defensive coordinator until he was fired in 2020 served in the same role under McDaniels in Denver in 2009 after being fired as the head coach of the 49ers. Nolan however is a great LB coach and if Phifer isn't your guy then Nolan should be. He has 12 seasons coaching LB's, and another 18 years as a coordinator with stops with the Giants, Redskins, Jets, Ravens, Broncos, Dolphins, Falcons, and Cowboys. He has experience with a 3-4 or 4-3 and if Mayo is anything like his predecessors from New England he will want to run a versatile front shifting between 3 and 4 down linemen sets. He also spent 1 season a piece as a WR coach, and a DL coach so those are possibilities as well.
Honestly I was torn about this hire at first but there isn't a more qualified candidate on the market than McDaniels. I truly believe he will actually bring Wentz back to his probowl level while also finding a role in the offense for Hurts, while he also serves as his backup qb. He may not be a popular hire due to his past but he might be the right hire.
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