The Philadelphia Eagles now formally have two coaching vacancies after Doug Pederson backtracked on his Wednesday comments, and fired Mike Groh (OC) and Carson Walch (WR).
On Thursday, Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles had parted ways with their offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach after a rough season that saw skill players regress.
With the Eagles signing Carson Wentz to a longterm deal and the franchise focused on returning to the Super Bowl, here are 8 potential replacements at offensive coordinator for the recently fired Mike Groh.
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1. Duce Staley — Eagles assistant head coach
Staley is currently the Eagles running backs coach and also the assistant head coach. Staley, the fifth-leading rusher in franchise history, knows the franchise, has been around some creative offensive play-callers and would have no problem holding quarterback Carson Wentz accountable.
When Pederson promoted Mike Groh to offensive coordinator, it was in part because Groh was more involved with the passing game daily.
With Staley being responsible for the emergence of Boston Scott and Miles Sanders, Staley could get the look.
2. James Urban — Ravens QB Coach
Urban is currently Lamar Jackson’s quarterback’s coach in Baltimore and that alone should get him access to an interview.
Jackson, the front-runner for league MVP, has thrown for 3,127 yards while rushing for 1,206 yards.
Urban is familiar with Philadelphia and had the same player development success in his role as quarterbacks coach under Andy Reid. Urban has been credited with Michael Vick’s career season in 2010.
Urban was hired during Jackson’s rookie season with the Ravens and has been credited with his jump in development from last season.
3. Mike Kafka — Chiefs QB coach
Kafka is currently the quarterback coach for the Chiefs and a former fourth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kafka’s resume currently reads that he’s the position coach for the reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. Kafka studied under Doug Pederson (offensive quality control coach/quarterbacks coach) and Andy Reid (head coach) and would be an instant upgrade to Groh.
Add in the versatility and efficiency of the Chiefs offense, and Kafka is definitely a name to watch out for.
4. Press Taylor — Eagles QB coach
Taylor is currently Carson Wentz’s quarterback coach and that alone could disqualify him from consideration. Wentz regressed some as a passer in 2019, and the questions have to be asked how much Taylor’s coaching or lack thereof plays a part in that. Taylor has already been named one of the young coaches in the NFL to watch and his brother of Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. The younger Taylor brother has garnered rave reviews for his meticulous notes and attention to detail.
5. Jay Gruden — unemployed
You can let the jokes fly all you want, but the younger Gruden bother knows a thing or two about calling successful plays. During his stint as the Redskins head coach, Gruden produced numbers and explosive offenses with seven different quarterbacks. Washinton was second in yards in 2016 and ninth in touchdown passes in 2017. Gruden didn’t win a lot in DC, but during his three-year stint with the Bengals as offensive coordinator, Cincinnati was top 15 in total yards and points per game each season.
6. Joe Brady — LSU
Brady is the hot name in football after turning Joe Burrows from Ohio State transfer to the likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and Heisman Trophy Winner.
In 2018, Burrows first as a starter at LSU, he passed for 2,894 yards, with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions in 13 games. With Joe Brady as the Tigers passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach, Burrow Won the Heisman, has LSU one win away from National title and he’ll likely be the top pick in Aprils draft.
Burrows has been compared to Carson Wentz with his style of play and it could make for a better transition.
If you think Brady is strictly a college guy, remember that before heading to Baton Rouge, Brady worked under Sean Payton on the Saints as an offensive assistant for two years.
If the Eagles had an interest, they’d compete with LSU and Oregon for his services.
7. Pat Shurmur — Giants head coach
Shurmur has ties to the organization and Andy Reid once again. Currently unemployed after being fired by the Giants, Shurmur could be a fit.
Shurmur’s first stint with the Eagles came in 1999, as he was both the tight ends coach and the offensive line coach. Shurmur was credited with developing tight end Chad Lewis into a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
In 2002, Shurmur was named the team’s quarterback coach and in that role, Shurmur played a part in helping develop Donovan McNabb.
8. Brad Childress — Chicago Bears
Childress has also had success developing quarterbacks, as receive credit for his work with former Eagles great and quarterback Donovan McNabb, who was named to five Pro Bowls during his time with Childress.
Childress is currently on the Chicago Bears coach staff as a senior offensive assistant after previously serving as a senior offensive consultant during the 2018 offseason and training camp as coach Matt Nagy installed his offense.
He has over 20 years of NFL coaching experience, spent time on Andy Reid’s staff in Kansas City as co-offensive coordinator in 2016 before Childress was promoted to assistant head coach and Matt Nagy to offensive coordinator in 2017.
