Random Eagles Thoughts, Including Nick Sirianni's Staff and Draft Musings
Random Eagles thoughts as we move slowly along in the transition period owner Jeffrey Lurie talked about on Jan. 11, the day he fired Doug Pederson, and while we await Nick Sirianni’s introductory news conference:
Initial impressions on Nick Sirianni and the staff so far
NetFlix may want to consider developing a series called the 30-somethings.
It would be about this group of newcomers, Sirianni, 39, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, 37, and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, 35.
This may be the youngest triumvirate of coaches holding key NFL positions in league history, though I have done no research to validate that point. Just saying…it’s young.
Now that could be bad or it could good.
SI’s Albert Breer pointed out that the last five Super Bowls, and eight of the last 10, have had a head coach in their 60s. Bill Belichick obviously tilts that stat, as does Andy Reid, and now Tampa Bay’s Bruce Arians.
So it may not mean much. Or it could mean everything.
At the very least, it’s hard not to like what Sirianni is putting together, drawing on connections from his 12 years as an NFL assistant, which encompassed three NFL teams – the Chiefs, Chargers, and Colts.
What happens with Carson Wentz?
It has been reported that Sirianni has already called the disgruntled quarterback.
It was probably his first call, with others to follow. Jason Kelce had to make the top five player phoners, didn’t he? Maybe Zach Etz, too.
Anyway, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo painted a bleak picture on Wentz when he went on Philadelphia sports radio Monday morning.
“This a guy who, I am told, feels a little bit off in his relationship with the entire organization,” said Garafolo. “A lot of people. There are a lot of hurt feelings on his end with how this whole thing was handled. I am not saying he is justified or not justified, I’m just telling you that my understanding is it is more than just the head coach for him.
“There are still more conversations that need to be had. When I say Sirianni is going to talk to him, don’t forget the front office is going to talk to him and see if they can work through their feelings and work through this whole thing and see if they can get back on the same page."
Sure, makes sense.
It also makes sense that Wentz is going to have a more difficult time lining up behind center this fall with all the negative reports that have come out about him. This talk about hurt feelings certainly doesn’t make it better.
Duce Staley deserved better
I get it. It’s a business.
But, when someone gives 17 years of their life to an organization the way the now-former assistant head coach did, you wonder what more could have been done to salvage the relationship.
Minority non-hiring
Jeffrey Lurie was considered a bit ahead of the trend when he made Ray Rhodes the first head coach he hired after buying the team in 1994. Since then, the Eagles owner has hired four white head coaches.
There has not been a single black coordinator hired, either.
There have been several black position coaches who have worked for the Eagles in the last 27 years of Lurie’s ownership, including Todd Bowles, who was the secondary coach in 2012 then promoted to defensive coordinator when Juan Castillo was fired, but none at the upper levels of the staff.
The league, overall, hasn’t done a good job if minority hiring, either.
If the seven head coaching jobs this offseason, six went to white men. Imagine the pressure now that the Houston Texans are under now to hire a minority.
Please don’t tell me there aren’t enough quality minority candidates, either.
Draft musings
Taking a receiver with the sixth overall pick – DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase – certainly makes sense, but so does taking a defensive player.
Or dare I say, a quarterback. Well, a lot of that decision would depend on whether or not Wentz returns.
The last time the Eagles picked sixth overall was in 2000 when they took Florida State’s defensive lineman Corey Simon.
Could they go with Alabama DL Christian Barmore this time around at No. 6? He’s 6-5, 311 pounds, and is considered the best D-tackle in the draft. He’s also a Philadelphia product, having played his high school freshman season at Abraham Lincoln High before transferring to Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High.
Barmore originally committed to Temple prior to his senior year but de-committed and fielded offers from Baylor, Florida, Georgia, and LSU before deciding on ’Bama.
One problem: The Eagles don’t draft players from Alabama. The last one they did was in 2002 when they selected receiver Freddie Milons in the fifth round.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
