Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (red shirt) leads the team in practice
When a team wins 10 of its first 11 games and then loses seven of its final eight, including an embarrassing defeat in its lone playoff game, there are going to be changes.
So as the Eagles prepare to open training camp at the NovaCare Complex in July, the preseason against the Baltimore Ravens in August and the regular season, Sept. 6 in Brazil, they will barely resemble the team that started 10-1 and finished 11-7 with a loss to Tampa Bay in the postseason.
Oh, sure Jalen Hurts is still the quarterback and A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are still his wide receivers and that’s about it.
How are the 2024 Eagles different than the 2023 version? Here are just a few of the ways.
New Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio gives instruction to cornerback Avonte Maddox.
The Coordinators: The Eagles will have their third offensive coordinator and fourth defensive coordinator in the past three years. That’s change.
Offensively, Kellen Moore, who held the same titles in Dallas and Los Angeles, replaces Brian Johnson, who replaced Shane Steichen just over a year ago. Johnson, a peculiar hire from the start, was let go after the late-season collapse. Steichen left after the 2022 season to become head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Johnson’s relationship with Hurts — they have known each other since Hurts was in high school — was thought to be a plus but turned into a detriment in the long run.
Moore, who just turned 36, spent five years with the Cowboys and 2023 with the Chargers. He’s been credited with helping in the development of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, although Prescott actually did better last year without him. And the Chargers did not. Los Angeles ranked 18th in total offense, 13th in passing yards and 25th in rushing yards. And most importantly, 21st in points scored. One of the knocks on Moore in his time in Dallas was he didn’t run the ball enough. That’s not going to go over well with the “Run the ball’’ Eagles fans.
Defensively, long-time coach Vic Fangio replaces the duo of Matt Patricia and Sean Desai, who replaced Jon Gannon. Patricia, the former Patriots assistant under Bill Belichick, took over the coordinator duties from Desai late in the season during the middle of the collapse. Desai, who was hired away from Seattle, took over when Gannon left to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Fangio, 65, began his professional coaching career with the old USFL’s Philadelphia Stars in 1984, four years before Moore was born. He came with Stars head coach Jim Mora to the NFL with the New Orleans Saints in 1986 and has spent time as an assistant or a coordinator with Carolina, Indianapolis, Houston, Baltimore, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver and Miami. There was also a failed attempt as the head coach in Denver. Last year with the Dolphins his defense ranked 10th overall, 15th against the pass, 7th against the run, but an alarming 20th in points allowed.
The biggest change fans will see on defense is the look. Fangio’s scheme will be a base 3-4, which the Eagles haven’t employed since 2016, and have used for just three of the past 28 years. What fans might also notice is better technique and fundamentals from a defense that seemed to lack both at the end of last season. Those are staples of a Fangio-run unit.
Kellen Moore
Leadership: Center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox both retired after the 2023 season and took with them 25 years of experience. How long were both players with the Eagles? They were both drafted by Andy Reid. That’s four head coaches ago. While the team has players on hand to replace Kelce and Cox on the field, it might not be as easy in the locker room. Kelce was the unquestioned leader on offense and Cox took charge on defense. Who does that burden fall to now?
You would think Hurts would lead the offense and as a quarterback, he has to on the field, but it does not seem to fit his low-key personality off the field. Tackle Lane Johnson? Maybe. But how much longer is he going to play? Guard Landon Dickerson, with a nice new contract and an Alabama background, just might be the man. Defensively, there isn’t anyone who comes to mind immediately, which might be a problem.
Say Hello to: Running back Saquon Barkley, linebacker Bryce Huff, rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Barkley, from the New York Giants, was the team’s biggest free agent signing and gives them a No. 1 running back. Now the question becomes how much will Moore use him? Huff came over as a free agent from the other New York/New Jersey team, the Jets. He’s a pure pass rusher who came into his own in his fourth season with 10 sacks. He has never been an every-down player, however. The staff must have felt it needed a major upgrade in the secondary as it used its top two picks for Mitchell and DeJean, who the team traded up in the second round to select. Pickett provides a steady No. 2 quarterback if something were to happen to Hurts. The Eagles, as much as any team in the league, know the importance of a good backup quarterback. See Foles, Nick.
Say Goodbye to: Kelce and Cox as well as edge rusher Haason Reddick, running backs De’Andre Swift and Boston Scott and linebackers Nick Morrow and Zach Cunningham.
Reddick was traded to the New York Jets after the two sides could not come to terms on a new long-term contract. He led the team in sacks the past two years and was the only one on the team with double-figures sacks (11) in 2023. Barkley’s presence made Swift and his 1,049 rushing yards in 2023, expendable. Scott was more of a fan favorite than that of the coaching staff considering he carried the ball just 20 times last season. Morrow quietly put together a nice season with 95 tackles, 12 for a loss, 3 sacks, a forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.
How hot is the hot seat: There were more than a few fans, members of the media and perhaps some in the organization who wanted head coach Nick Sirianni to pay for the team’s epic 2023 collapse. Fortunately for Sirianni, owner Jeff Lurie was not among that group. The head coach, who has made the playoffs all three of his seasons with the team, is back for his fourth year albeit with two new coordinators and presumably less control. His seat will be hotter than those chicken wings you order that make you sign a waiver. If the Eagles get off to a slow start it’s not going to be pretty and Sirianni could be the one to take the fall, especially with Moore and Fangio already on staff.
All photos courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles
