Revolving Door: Examining Possible Changes for the Eagles
It has been no secret to the outcry of disappointment and anger from fans and the organization themselves after their devastating loss to the Miami Dolphins 37-31 on Sunday.
The game was a perfect representation of the season that has been filled with inconsistency, injuries, and disappointment. This has led to the idea that changes need to be made to the franchise in the offseason.
Former Eagles Executive Joe Banner has gone on the record recently that he believes that Alshon Jeffery and Desean Jackson will not be back with the Eagles after the season. ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen reported on Monday that unless the team goes on a playoff run, we should expect significant changes to the coaching staff.
It wouldn’t be too far of a reach for fans as they have been calling for changes to be made to the staff as well as the players as well. Not much has changed with the teams since they won the Super Bowl two years ago and it appears that some of the magic of that year is wearing off.
These are some of the changes that the organization should look into in the offseason even if the season can be saved with a playoff appearance.
Mike Groh / Offensive Coordinator
When Frank Reich took the head coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts job, we knew it would be too hard to replace him and it came as a shock when they promoted their wide receiver coach Mike Groh to be an offensive coordinator. Since Groh has taken over the position, the offense has taken a dip from where they were back in their Super Bowl-winning year.
Since numbers don’t lie, the offense was ranked 4th in total offense in 2017. Since then, the Eagles’ offense dropped to 16th in the league in 2018 and this year took an even bigger dip with being 20th.
There’s a combination of reasons for this happening with the offense. Some have been put on the play-calling with viewers noticing Carson Wentz throwing more short yard passes and not pushing the ball down the field vertically. Poor play from receivers also has forced the offense to be more dependent on the tight ends and the running backs to be more involved in the passing game. Injuries to the offensive line and some key offensive players have also forced Pederson and Groh to think outside the box and play conservatively.
In the end, Groh made for a good receivers coach as he helped increase the play of Nelson Agholor in the Super Bowl year, but as offensive coordinator, he hasn’t been able to spark an explosive offensive.
It’s time for Pederson to examine the OC job and find someone that can help elevate Wentz’s play and get creative with the play-calling to catch defenses off guard.
Medical Training Staff
Say what you want about the Chip Kelly era, but one positive is the lack of injuries and how healthy players were with Kelly’s strict diets he would have the players on.
The organization has shaken up the training staff for two straight years and nothing seems to have changed. Last year, the team saw significant injuries to the secondary, while this year we have seen injuries plague the offense on the offensive line and the receiving core. Not to mention, Wentz had a major set up last year as he missed the rest of the season after playing in 11 games.
Again, the team has to take a look at the medical staff and figure out what is going on and why the Eagles have been close to the top of the league in injuries. Whether it has to be better diets, different practice strategies, or better medical equipment, something must be done to help these players get healthy and stay on the field.
Cory Undlin / Defensive Backs Coach + Secondary Players
Cory Undlin has been on the staff since 2015 and did an exceptional job with the secondary last year with mostly rookies and undrafted free agents, but this year should be different. There have still been injuries, but not to the extent they were last year. The development of these corners hasn’t really gone well.
Sidney Jones shows flashes but hasn’t been consistent enough to be seen as the future starter for this team. Ronald Darby has had some tough games this year as he’s had trouble covering opposing team’s top receivers. Jalen Mills is returning from injury and has played well until Sunday against the Dolphins where he struggled in coverage.
Overall as a unit and coaching staff, this has been by far the weak point to the defense and should be addressed in the offseason with some additions to starting-caliber corners as well as examine if new coaches need to be added to help.
Wide Receivers
This is one position fans didn’t think we would have to focus on, but game after game, we have seen dropped passes that have cost the team wins this season.
Desean Jackson’s injury was unfortunate after his huge first game of the season, but the Eagles really need to ask if it’s worth it to keep around a 33-year-old receiver who may or may not recover from injury a hundred percent. Alshon Jeffery is an interesting case as he has been their best receiver the last 2-3 years, but has had injuries two seasons in a row and has not played at the same level he did in Chicago. His new contract is a concern as he is owed a lot of money.
Other changes have been made as Mack Hollins was surprisingly released this week before the season ended. This has a lot to do with Greg Ward Jr.’s elevated role. Nelson Agholor’s poor play and a high contract should play a role in what the team does with him in the offseason as many have been asking for him to depart the franchise.
The team may need to look into drafting a young receiver or look in free agency to add another to the roster.
Featured Image: USA Today Images
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