Eagles Would Receive Draft Compensation if Brian Johnson is Hired Elsewhere
Perhaps no one in the NFL has done a better job at manipulating the compensatory draft pick system than Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. And another wrinkle in the system could soon benefit the Eagles for the first time.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the Carolina Panthers plan to interview Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson for their head coaching vacancy. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday that the Tennessee Titans have requested Johnson for an interview as well.
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What's worth reminding here is that if the 36-year-old Johnson was hired as the coach of the Panthers or any other team, the Eagles would receive compensatory third-round selections in each of the next two NFL Drafts because he is a minority. The picks wouldn't come from the Panthers, they would be additional selections added to the third round as a way to try to fix the lack of diversity in coach hirings. This system went into place in 2020.
In this scenario, the Eagles would essentially be rewarded for developing Johnson, who took over as the offensive coordinator this season after two years as the quarterbacks coach on Nick Sirianni's staff.
What would be crazy about receiving a pair of relatively high draft picks for Johnson is that the general perception is that he hasn't done a very good job replacing Shane Steichen, who left after the 2022 season to become the coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles offense has become stale, relying too heavily on quarterback draws and uncreative screen passes.
Assuming Sirianni is asked to return for a fourth season at his post -- which perhaps we shouldn't be taken for granted if the Eagles lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in ugly fashion this weekend -- there's a real possibility he will have to revamp his staff. Certainly, that will mean major changes on the defensive staff, but it may also mean Johnson is out as offensive coordinator. Sirianni could either take over as the play caller himself, or the Eagles could find a veteran in the role, such as Frank Reich.
Speaking of Reich, he was hired last offseason to be the coach of the Panthers, only to be fired before his first year concluded because of a disastrous 1-10 start. Make no mistake, Reich wasn't doing a good job, but there's also some belief that owner David Tepper -- he of the drink-throwing fame -- might have put his thumb on the scales to get the team to select Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick. After one year, that looks like a colossal mistake.
Between the lack of talent on their roster and no first-round pick this year -- the Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick, which they acquired from the Panthers in the trade up to select Young -- this isn't a very attractive job. Add in what appears to be the most dysfunctional owner in the sport today, and many candidates may shy away from even interviewing for this job. Maybe that makes someone like Johnson, not necessarily a hot candidate around the league, more viable for the position.
One of the perceived problems in the NFL is that Black coaching candidates are given so few opportunities for advancement that they have to settle for anything offered their way. There's a case to be made that the best play for Johnson's long-term future would be to be a quarterbacks coach somewhere in 2024, rather than the coach of the dysfunctional Panthers. But when you are offered a chance to lead a team, even if that team is a disaster, it's hard to turn that down.
From the perspective of the Eagles, getting anything in return for Johnson would feel like highway robbery, because barring a shocking Super Bowl run, it's hard to envision him returning in his current role in 2024.
