Could Eagles Have DC in Place Before Heading to NFL Combine?
The Eagles could have a defensive coordinator in place before GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni board a plane to Indianapolis and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Two of the franchise’s leaders are expected to speak with the media on Tuesday afternoon inside the Indiana Convention Center.
First, Roseman and Sirianni, and probably owner Jeffrey Lurie, too, will have hosted Sean Desai for a second interview inside the team’s South Philly headquarters, per a report from MFL Media.
It’s a significant development since Desai’s first interview was done virtually.
The Eagles are looking to replace Jonathan Gannon, who left after two seasons as Sirianni’s DC to take over as the head coach in Arizona just days after the Eagles fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, 38-35, on Feb. 12.
Having a DC in place as the offseason shifts into high gear beginning with the Combine this week would certainly be a benefit for the Eagles, knowing exactly what sort of scheme Desai would bring with him, which, in turn, would help identify the kind of defenders the team would like to interview and watch work out in Indy.
Presumably, the Eagles already know what they have in Dennard Wilson, the in-house candidate and secondary coach for the past two years whose DBs were a big reason why the Eagles’ had NFL-best pass defense this past season.
Wilson has the support of cornerback Darius Slay to become a defensive coordinator, but will it be enough?
Desai, who will turn 40 in April, will have hand in answering that question now.
He is a New England native but grew his coaching roots in Philadelphia, specifically at Temple University, where he helped coach the defense and special teams from 2006-10.
Desai has only one year of experience as a DC, and that came with the Chicago Bears in 2021. Despite having some great defensive players that season in Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, and Robert Quinn, who had a career year with 18.5 sacks, the Bears went just 6-11.
The defense, though, allowed 18.3 points per game.
Desai is a disciple of Vic Fangio, who spent two weeks between the NFC Championship Game win over the 49ers and the Super Bowl as a paid consultant, helping the offense identify and attack some of the Chiefs’ defensive schemes.
Last year, Desai was an assistant head coach and defensive assistant for the Seattle Seahawks. He was not a DC.
He is also considered to be a coordinator who does not like to blitz much, which is something Gannon was criticized for not doing enough.
The Eagles still have not named an offensive coordinator to take over for Shane Steichen, who left to be the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts after the Super Bowl.
QB coach Brian Johnson is expected to be elevated into that role, however, and the Eagles are likely waiting to make the announcement until both coordinators are in place.
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Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
