6 Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator candidates
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Nick Sirianni isn't going anywhere, after all. The Philadelphia Eagles' head coach appears to be returning for a fourth season in 2024 after many brought his job security into question following the collapse of the 2023 season.
But changes were made to Philadelphia's coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and defensive coordinator Sean Desai were both fired. While senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia is leaving to pursue other opportunities, CBS Sports reported.
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Patricia took over defensive playcalling duties in Week 15 after Desai was demoted.
Here's a look at some potential replacements for Desai and Patricia to become the next Eagles' defensive coordinator:
Wink Martindale
Eagles fans might be familiar with Don "Wink" Martindale after he spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.
According to a statement from the team, Martindale and the Giants "agreed to part ways" following the end of the 2023 season after the Giants went 6-11.
Hiring Martindale as the defensive coordinator would be a change in philosophy compared to previous defensive coordinators hired by the Eagles.
Jonathan Gannon and Desai didn't blitz much, but Martindale is on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to blitzing. He isn't shy to bring quarterbacks pressure, as evidenced by every time the Giants played Jalen Hurts and the Eagles over the past two seasons.
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Martindale's 2023 Giants defense ranked poorly against the run and average against the pass, but the team tied for first in takeaways, which is something the Eagles lacked last season.
Martindale also has experience as an NFL defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens (2018-21) and Denver Broncos in 2010.
Dennard Wilson
Last year, the Eagles had Dennard Wilson on their staff as a defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. But he parted ways with the team after Philly hired Desai as defensive coordinator and eventually Wilson landed in Baltimore as a defensive backs coach.
Wilson was a finalist for the defensive coordinator job before it went to Desai, NFL Network reported last year. Wilson had plenty of support from several Eagles players, including cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry, to land the job, but the team went in another direction.
It's unclear if Wilson would like to return to Philly, but Slay and Bradberry both had some of the best their best seasons with Wilson coaching the secondary in 2022.
Wilson doesn't have experience as a defensive coordinator but has held other defensive backs coaching jobs with the St. Louis Rams and New York Jets.
Glenn Schumann
The Eagles have already drafted multiple players from the University of Georgia's defense. What if they hired one of the masterminds behind the team that's produced several first-round picks and two National Championships?
Glenn Schumann, the defensive coordinator at Georgia, could be the Eagles' guy if they decide to go that route. He interviewed for the job before the Eagles hired Desai.
Schumann, 33, would become one of the youngest defensive coordinators in the NFL if he makes the jump.
Schumann has an interesting story and took a different route to moving up the college coaching ranks. The Valdosta, Georgia, native didn't play college football. Instead, he enrolled at Alabama to become a student assistant manager under former head coach Nick Saban to soak in everything he could and learn.
Schumann eventually became a grad assistant and grew close to Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who later became the head coach of Georgia. He started as an inside linebackers coach and eventually worked his way up to become the defense coordinator before the 2022 season.
Ron Rivera
If the Eagles are looking for a more experienced defensive coordinator alongside Sirianni, Ron Rivera might be their guy.
Rivera, 62, has been coaching in the NFL since the 1990s after an eight-year career as a linebacker. He was named Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015 and made a Super Bowl appearance with the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 season.
Rivera was fired as the Washington Commanders head coach after the 2023 season, and the Eagles were set to interview him for their defensive coordinator vacancy, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.
Rivera's teams never recorded more than eight wins in four years in Washington, but his defenses had solid seasons in 2020 and 2022 by ranking each year in the top 10 in yards and points allowed.
Rivera's defenses also had success in Carolina as a head coach and as defensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears.
Rivera spent time with the Eagles on Andy Reid's staff as a linebackers coach from 1999-2003.
Al Harris
Al Harris, one of the best cornerbacks in the league during his 15-year playing career, would bring a wealth of secondary knowledge to an Eagles defense that got burned by opposing offenses week after week in 2023.
Harris might be a tad inexperienced for a defensive coordinator role, but his players have had success under him as the Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach.
Dallas cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland each had Pro Bowl and All Pro seasons under Harris in a defense that ranked fifth in the league against the pass.
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Harris also spent time with the Eagles as a player from 1998-2002.
Mike Caldwell
Mike Caldwell is another potential target at defensive coordinator with ties to the Eagles organization.
Caldwell, who was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2023 season after missing the playoffs, started under Reid in Philadelphia as a defensive quality control coach in 2008.
ESPN reported the Eagles were set to interview Caldwell for the team's vacancy at defensive coordinator.
The Jags' job was Caldwell's first time as a defensive coordinator after being an inside linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As the defensive coordinator of the Jaguars in 2023, Caldwell's defense ranked 17th in points allowed, ninth in rushing yards allowed, 26th against the pass and eighth in takeaways.