Eagles Lose Another Staff Member

There’s no telling what someone who holds the title as an “offensive special projects” coach does, but whatever it was, G.J. Kinne has parlayed that into becoming the offensive coordinator for the University of Hawaii.

Kinne, 31, was with the Eagles for one year as their offensive special projects coach. His departure, which was announced on Friday, leaves head coach Doug Pederson with five open spots on his staff.

The Eagles, however, may choose not to fill Kinne’s role. Again, it depends on how vital that job was.

Pederson has been seeking an offensive coordinator and receivers coach for more than three weeks after Mike Groh and Carson Walch were let go on Jan. 9. The team also needs someone to coach defensive backs and the defensive line with Cory Undlin leaving to be the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions and the Eagles letting go Phillip Daniels on the D-line.

There was a recent report that the Eagles interviewed their quarterbacks coach, Press Taylor, to be the OC. Exactly when that interview took place, and if it was leaked by the Eagles in advance of them naming Taylor the new offensive coordinator isn’t clear.

If it is Taylor, the Eagles will have bypassed running backs coach/assistant coach Duce Staley for a second time for that post. Staley was a finalist two years ago, but the team opted to promote Groh from receivers coach to OC.

An announcement on the hires is expected sometime this week, and the expectation is that the Eagles will name all four in one swoop.

As for Kinne, he will reunite with his former head coach Todd Graham, who had Kinne at Tulsa in 2009 and 2010.

Kinne threw for 9,472 yards and 81 touchdowns at Tulsa. Ironically, Taylor was his position coach in 2011.

"GJ Kinne was a bowl championship collegiate quarterback and one of the best I've ever coached," Graham said in a press release. "He also has experience playing and coaching at the highest level in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. We are elated to have him lead our offense."

Kinne went undrafted out of Tulsa and eventually ended up with the Eagles in 2013 when Chip Kelly became the head coach. He spent two years on the practice squad with the Eagles and Kelly even had Kinne do some work on special teams and as a receiver.