Eagles Coaching Updates: Denard Wilson out as defensive backs coach; Matt Patricia potentially joining staff

After bringing in Sean Desai to become the next defensive coordinator, the Eagles were bound to make a handful of accompanying moves to suit their new DC.
One move that wasn’t expected was the dismissal of defensive backs coach Denard Wilson; or the “mutual parting of ways,” as the Eagles put it.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport dropped the news Sunday afternoon.
As Rapaport states, this type of move isn’t exactly out of the ordinary. Wilson wants to further his career and it doesn’t appear it’ll happen in Philly, so he dips for a new venture. Pretty standard stuff.
Later Sunday evening, we found out that Wilson’s departure may have actually been more of a firing. Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes reported that head coach Nick Sirianni fired Wilson, believing the defensive assistant wouldn’t jell with Desai.
“Sources said Sirianni met with Wilson over the weekend looking for — and receiving — assurances that Wilson would cooperate with Desai,” Hayes wrote. “Yet Sirianni nevertheless was convinced that Wilson would not work well with Desai. This, despite Wilson working well with Gannon, even though they never were kindred spirits before Gannon got the head coach job in Arizona.
“The Eagles are trying to paint this as an amicable split. Untrue, according to sources. Wilson wanted to stay.”
Hayes added that this firing was not the doing of Jeffrey Lurie or Howie Roseman, who “adored” Wilson, according to Hayes.
“This was entirely Sirianni’s call, sources say. Attempts to reach the Eagles for comment were not returned,” Hayes wrote.
It’s clear that there are two sides to this story. Which side is the “correct” story is up for interpretation and I doubt we’ll ever get a clear answer from anyone in the Eagles organization.
My take – this is the dead zone of the NFL offseason and people want something to talk about. Hayes’ article paints this entire situation about as dire as one could, writing that players like Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson could form a “mutiny” against Sirianni and the new defensive staff.
I’m sure Wilson’s defensive backs would have liked him to stay in Philly. But as we all know, the NFL is a business. Coaches/players come and go, it’s the nature of the beast. I don’t envision Slay or CGJ forming a coup within the locker room, as Hayes suggests.
Matt Patricia potentially joining the Eagles staff?
Amidst the Wilson drama, we also got this little tidbit from the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian.
While the Wilson departure makes some sense, Matt Patricia coming in as the new linebackers coach doesn’t – at all.
It’s important to note that this news is coming from a New England-based source, meaning it could just be Patricia throwing some BS out there in order to gain leverage in New England. Otherwise, this simply wouldn’t make any sense.
Forget the fact that Patricia hasn’t actually coached linebackers since 2010, his beef with Slay has been well documented ever since the Pro Bowl corner joined the Eagles.
The Wilson firing shouldn’t cause a mutiny, but hiring Slay’s sworn enemy certainly could.
Maybe there’s more here than meets the eye. Some have speculated that the team could potentially trade Slay this offseason to save cap space if the CB doesn’t want to renegotiate. If that’s the case, then I guess bringing in Patricia would be fine? I mean, he did help the Eagles win their first Super Bowl as the DC with New England. For that, he does have some of my respect.
All jokes aside, I could without Matt Patricia roaming the Eagles sidelines.
The only way I’d hire him is if there was a clause in his contract that prohibits him from putting a pencil above his ear like he’s a fucking math genius or something. Simply cannot trust a guy who actively tries to look smarter than he actually is. Upgrade to a pen and have it dangling from your visor like a real man.
