Eagles Offensive Changes Are About More Than The Passing Game

The perception is that the Eagles are making drastic changes on the offensive side of the football to aid what's been a less-than-stellar passing game.

After hearing Nick Sirianni discuss the hiring of Sean Mannion as the offensive coordinator and the exit of long-time offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland, the shift is much deeper than that perception.

Sirianni admitted he was the one that stepped in and enacted change in the running game last season when Saquon Barkley was struggling behind a banged-up offensive line and facing defenses unleashing havoc when the Eagles lined up in their usual shotgun or pistol looks.

“We were struggling and it was like, ‘Hey, what do I need to be able to do as the head coach to go in and help where we're struggling here?’ That was with every phase,” Sirianni told reporters including Eagles On SI at the Jefferson Health Training Complex last week. “That was with third down, that was with red zone, that was with short yardage, that was with run game, that was with play action game, that was with drop back game.

"And so that's the way it went, but we still went about our process the same."

It was reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer that Stoutland's duties as the run game coordinator were essentially removed, although Sirianni pushed back on that, something Eagles On SI had subsequently reported.

“There was obviously different things that we did and a different process in the sense of we were all together doing it in there," the head coach said. "Not to get too much into this, like exactly what it was. And so there were definitely changes of what we did but Stout still did a lot of the stuff where he brought the ideas of what he was thinking.

"And then there would be like, ‘Hey, I want to run this particular run on our term.’ It's always been collaborative in everything that we've done here. But I guess it was just more collaborative as an entire group in the run game as opposed to run pod and pass pod, if that makes sense."

The goal was essentially the starter version of what the organization will be trying to accomplish with Mannion and a Kyle Shanahan-like scheme.

"We felt like that meshed up with our play action a little bit better," Sirianni explained. "I anticipate us doing that again. Meeting as a group, all together as a run and pass game together.”

The new setup has Ryan Mahaffey as tight ends coach/run game coordinator and Josh Grizzard as pass game coordinator.

Dealing With Junk

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sirianni went on to explain the reasons why he felt the run game needed to be evolved as well.

“With the way the NFL is now, without getting too schematic, you see a lot of teams where they’re reading pure progressions, they’re handling all the junk that’s being thrown at you by the defense,” Sirianni said. “Well, this version of the run game is kind of in that mix as well, and it’s the run game version of it, where there’s a lot of run game junk being thrown at you, this handles all of it.”

Over the past five years those "pods" operated somewhat independently before being inserted in the final plan. The goal now is to better marry things between the ground game and the passing attack.

The Eagles still wanted Stoutland and his developmental skills that have produced over two dozen Pro Bowl selections, multiple All-Pro nods, and ultimately Hall of Fame-level careers to return as the OL coach.

Without Stoutland, ex-Vikings OL coach Chis Kuper will mentor the linemen and both he and Mahaffey have experience in the Shanahan/Sean McVay style of offense the Eagles are looking to somewhat replicate.

"That scheme mesh was important as well," Sirianni said when asked about the new coaches in support of Mannion. "I think that when you’ve done it both ways – I’ve hired a guy, and I’ve hired their guys, and I’ve hired a guy and we’ve been collaborative in picking the guys that they’ve had familiarity with, whether it’s Vic [Fangio], or whether it’s [Jonathan] Gannon with [Nick] Rallis, whether it’s Kellen [Moore] with Doug [Nussmeier], and I think that’s important that you have some familiarity within.

"… Of course I’m indebted to the guys that aren’t here at this particular time. But I also think, on the other end, that it’s really important that the coordinators bring in some guys that he feels really good about, that he’s worked with because that’s worked for us in the past."

Kuper will have a host of young talent to work with on the offensive line, including 2025 Day 3 picks Drew Kendall, Myles Hinton, and Cam Williams, as well as gifted undrafted rookies from a year ago in Hollin Pierce and Willie Lampkin.

It may be more important than usual to bring the younger plays along with the health concerns around Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson.

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