Eagles Head Coaching Candidates: The six names you need to know

NFL: OCT 27 Buccaneers at Titans
NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 27: Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) looks on from the sideline as Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith calls plays during a game between the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, October 27, 2019, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire)

Arthur Smith – OC – Titans

Carson Wentz has been labeled as a broken QB that needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Why not hire the man that resurrected the career of Ryan Tannehill? Since joining the Titans, Ryan Tannehill is 18-8 with 6,561 passing yards, 55 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 67% completion percentage. This is the same Ryan Tannehill that wasn’t good enough for Miami. Tannehill has easily been in the top half of the league with Smith by his side and an offense that actually values the run-game.

The Titans offense is another example of taking advantage of the talent you have and putting your playmakers in the best positions to win. Derrick Henry has had career seasons under Smith and is even being touted as the best RB in the league. Henry put 1,540 rushing yards in his first season with the then-rookie coordinator and followed that up with 2,027 rushing yards in 2020. In both seasons he’s averaged over 100 yards per game.

AJ Brown’s development also highlights Smith’s ability to lead his offense. Brown was a rookie last season and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards with 8 touchdowns. This season, he passed it again with 1,075 but with 3 more touchdowns this time around.

Lurie said he wanted a head coach that could be a leader among the players and staff. Smith could carry that Vrabel energy to Philly and completely resurrect this franchise.

Mike Kafka – QB coach/Passing game coordinator – Kansas City Chiefs

Another one of Andy’s disciples, Kafka is no stranger to the Eagles. The former QB was drafted by the team back in 2011 and after a few years traveling around the league in an attempt to find a permanent home, has since worked his way up the Kansas City coaching tree.

Kafka is an interesting consideration as the Eagles wanted him as an Offensive Coordinator last offseason, but the interview request was ultimately blocked by Andy Reid. This time around, that won’t be the case as this would be a huge move for Mike. The Eagles are in search of a QB whisperer that could help pull the potential out of either QB in Philly.

Kafka’s experience with Patrick Mahomes shouldn’t be buried behind the success of the offense that’s led by Eric Bieniemy and Andy Reid. As a QB’s coach, Kafka has been in charge of keeping Mahomes sharp when it comes to his mechanics and how he views defenses. Not too long ago, Mahomes admitted that he didn’t know how to read a defense, Kafka’s presence has helped Mahomes jump to that next level of quarterback play. This could bode well for a struggling QB like Carson Wentz who has all of the tools to succeed.

Brian Daboll – OC – Bills

Daboll is a very intriguing name. He doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to developing young quarterbacks, but then again, the best prospect he’s had is Bills QB Josh Allen.

Allen struggled mightily last season with the offense as it wasn’t tailored to his strengths. Daboll went back to the drawing board and used the addition of Stefon Diggs to help accommodate Allen’s previously sporadic deep-ball.

The former first-round pick looked like a totally different player this season. He threw for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while adding 421 yards and a further 8 scores on the ground.

The Bills are one of the more high octane offenses in the league and Daboll deserves a lot of praise for it.

It’s key to note that in 2017, Daboll joined Nick Saban as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and QB coach. The Alabama QB at the time for most of the season was none other than Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. Having that familiarity with one Eagles QB is an advantage for the front office, but being able to fix an offense and turned them into a top 5 offense is even more attractive as this could help with their Carson Wentz situation.

Who do you want to see hired as Doug Pederson’s replacement? Let us know in the comments!

Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire