JANUARY 20: There are questions about whether Sirianni will be retained, and a potential candidate on the offensive side of the ball has emerged. Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter could return to Philadelphia in the same role if Johnson takes a head coaching job or is replaced, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (video link). Cooter was a consultant with the Eagles in 2021 between his previous OC role in Detroit and his current one in Indianapolis. Steichen currently serves as the Colts’ offensive play-caller, but Cooter would likely take on those duties if he made the lateral move to the Eagles.
JANUARY 18: Like all teams whose seasons are over, the Eagles will spend the coming days processing the way in which their campaign came to an end. That will include a meeting between owner Jeffrey Lurie and head coach Nick Sirianni in the near future.
That summit was initially set to take place yesterday, but it could not be arranged, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The meeting has been pushed to Friday, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.
At Sirianni’s upcoming exit interview, the three-year HC will be required to present a plan for 2024 including a number of new faces on the coaching staff, as noted by Russini and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (video link). Even before Philadelphia’s wild-card loss, it was expected changes would be taking place at the defensive coordinator spot at a minimum.
Matt Patricia took over for Sean Desai as the Eagles’ defensive play-caller in December, but that switch did not produce the intended results. Second-guessing over the decision to bring in Desai last offseason (rather than promoting Dennard Wilson) has permeated through the front office, though Philadelphia’s regression on offense has not reflected well on OC Brian Johnson either. Johnson has received head coaching interest, but a new face overseeing the offense would come as no surprise if Sirianni were to remain in place for 2024.
Sirianni has led the Eagles to the postseason in each of his three years in his current post. That stretch includes a trip to the Super Bowl last year, but a nosedive through the closing weeks of the 2023 campaign has led to questions about his job security. Recent signs pointed to him being safe for now, but nothing is assured at this point. As Russini notes, Sirianni’s meeting with Lurie has been preceded by feelers being sent out for outside coaching options capable of taking over the coordinator posts.
Part of the Eagles’ regression can be traced to the loss of both Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching positions last year. The team’s defense also suffered a number of losses due to free agent departures as well as injuries over the course of the 2023 campaign. Still, Sirianni’s stock has seen a significant downturn relative to where it was one year ago. More clarity on his job status should emerge once he presents his plan to Lurie, the aftermath of which will no doubt involve staff changes of some kind taking place.