Philadelphia Eagles Round Table Discussion: The Search for a New Head Coach

A week ago, two Bleeding Green Nation regulars, Mike Kaye (NJEagle) and Brandon Lee (formerly PhillyFollower), approached me about putting together an article. Mike got the ball rolling: I'd give him and Brandon five questions concerning the Eagles' ongoing search for a new head coach. I liked the idea of a joint article anyway, especially one that would present three different fan perspectives. Without further ado...

1. What kind of identity do YOU want the Eagles to assume? Think offense, defense and team-wide.

Brandon: The way I view the NFL, there are two models to build (or style) a team. The two models are basic and vague:

Model 1: The Team With A Very Good QB

Model 2: The Team Without A Very Good QB

I go more into detail on this theory here. The ideal model for an NFL team is obviously to have the best offense and defense (and special teams) possible. But with limited resources, a salary cap, and high levels of competition, it's only an ideal. So teams are forced to pick from one of these two basic models to build the team on.

I maintain that Model 1 is the right way to build a team because the NFL is a passing league. You *MUST* have at LEAST a franchise QB, or a QB who can maintain the play of one, to win a championship. There is no "good enough" for me at QB. You either have a QB who can help win you a championship or you don't.

That said, I'd like to see the Eagles prioritize the QB position, and along with it the offense. They need to find their top 10-ish franchise QB who can win games for them. A really good QB can carry a terrible defense to success, as seen in my aforementioned post. But ideally the defense should be as strong as it can at the same time, because that makes life easier on the QB and the offense. I'm ok with having an average defense as long as the QB is the focal point.

I want the Eagles to assume an identity of a very good (ideally elite) QB orientated team that can make up for deficiencies elsewhere on the roster.

Mike: I feel like a lot of people get caught up in schemes and styles when talking about a team's identity. I am a believer in building an identity through personnel. I am a huge fan of Sirius XM radio, in particular "Moving the Chains" with Pat Kirwan (former GM & coach) and Tim Ryan (former Chicago Bear defensive lineman). What Pat always stresses is you have to adapt to your personnel to develop the "personality" or identity of your team, which I can appreciate. The problem with the current Eagles is there is a lack of talent and qualified personnel due to the 2009-10 off-seasons (for which, acquisitions from those summers make up a majority of the roster). What I think this team needs is literally an identity makeover. First, I'd say about 35-40% of the roster needs to be turned over. With the new 20-25 players, I'd like to fill it with rookies and/or young players from winning programs that either have run-oriented offenses or run-stopping defenses.

Now with these players, I want guys that are bigger and meaner. I want nasty players. For the last 5-6 years, we've been all finesse and speed. Being quick and athletic is nice, but I want guys with backbone and an edge. A major problem with this team, specifically the last two years, is that Andy's infatuation with smaller-frame guys, at all positions, has come back to haunt us. Guys like Kurt Coleman, David Sims, and Brian Rolle have no place on a team other than special teams and practice squads. Don't me wrong, I appreciate smaller guys like Jason Kelce and DeSean Jackson, but that is because they have something special to contribute (they are fast, athletic and, quite honestly, look like they belong). The Colemans and Rolles of the world have no business on the team I want to build.

Whether it's a defensive-minded head coach or a veteran defensive coordinator, this team needs to get back to blitzing with authority. I'm not saying they have to send the SAM every play like we have Von Miller, but I want to get back to where we used to be. Mychal Kendricks showed the ability to get to the QB in college, make him your experimental guy. Send him flying everywhere if you want; he can be an X-Factor and a match-up nightmare due to his speed. I want heart, I want swagger. Our motto for 2013 should be "You're about to get hit in the mouth, and you're not going to like it when you do."

Me: I'm going to keep my part (relatively) short and sweet. Ever since I began blogging, I've written at length about how much I yearn for a team that exudes toughness and snarl on both sides of the ball. That can get into a street fight and go toe to toe physically with any opponent instead of attempting to skirt by with finesse and precision. That can play smart, fundamental, disciplined football and not overwhelmingly contribute to its own demise with constant fuck-ups. That isn't a complete and utter embarrassment. Where there is a real, practiced sentiment of accountability instead of I'm-not-the-problem finger pointing. I want the opposite of what the Eagles became at the end of the Andy Reid era.

Now, this doesn't mean I want a smash-mouth, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense. That style is boring and antiquated. I just want the play-calling to be balanced and sensical. While in theory I'd prefer close to a 50/50 pass/run ratio, I'm totally fine with, say, 55/45 as long as the runs are deployed appropriately. I guess I just find it most fun and satisfying to beat the shit out of other teams, to run over them rather than around them, to break their will. Sue me.

2. What are the five most important qualities/characteristics you'd want in a new head coach? And would you prefer someone with a defensive, offensive or special teams background?

Brandon:

1) Leadership
2) Respect
3) Diplomacy
4) Accountability
5) Innovative

The Eagles new coach must be able to lead his team to greatness. He needs to earn the respect of the players and reciprocate that respect back. Diplomacy is key because he's not an asset if he can't establish good relationships with players and other coaches. Weaknesses must be identified, assessed, and corrected, which is why accountability is a must. Lastly, innovation is key in an ever-changing NFL.

It's apparent from my previous response that an offensive minded coach is preferred. A defensive head coach is ok as long as there is a very strong offensive coordinator and a focus on the QB position. A Special Teams coach shouldn't be easily ruled out, but it really depends on how strong the candidate is there.

Mike: Before I breakdown characteristics, let me just say I want a leader and someone who has been part of crafting a gameplan for a National Football League game. I don't care if they are a position coach, offensive guy, defensive guy, or even a guy that's recently been fired (as long they have NFL experience and have proven that they can lead played athletes).

1. NFL Experience: I can't stress this enough. College and pro sports are extremely different, especially going from a small market to a big market like Philly. While this attribute doesn't mean everything, I think it speaks to your preparation and seasoning as a leader. You need to be able to coach men, and men who are getting paid more than you. You need to be able to craft gameplans against defensive geniuses like Dick LeBeau and great offensive minds like Mike McCarthy. You have to be able to adapt to personnel and not just say it, but really prove that you can do it (i.e. Mike McCoy, Greg Roman). With that being said, you have to be comfortable and have a coherent strategy of your own, you can't just change every year.

2. A Competent Staff: This was another major issue with the 2010-12 Eagles. Major hiring errors really cost Andy Reid his job. The Juan Castillo hiring and even more so, the Howard Mudd and Jim Washburn hirings got us in a funk. Say what you want about the sack and the development of Kelce and Evan Mathis, but the hiring of Washburn and Mudd caused an undermining which made Juan's hiring look even worse. The next Head Coach needs to be able to trust his staff to "play nice" and work together, instead of acting like petulant children and calling plays that contradict the overall product and team. This is where I get back to NFL experience. College guys with a lack of NFL connections may have a tough time filling their staff. If you're inexperienced as a Head Coach or in the pros, you have to have some experience on your staff and some guidance. Remember, we have a pretty young GM, so it's important we have at least a few seasoned chefs in the kitchen.

3. Ability to Share Power: This is kind of harped on with having a competent staff, but the Head Coach can't be the GM, Player Personnel Director, Play-caller and Head Coach all at once anymore. That was part of the issue with Andy. When you give a guy that type of control it's like an actor directing, writing, producing and editing his own movie (House of D by David Duchovny), it just ends up being awful. A movie or team thrives when it have creative input from multiple sources. This new guy needs to be able to work with scouts, GMs, and veteran players as well his staff to come up with strategies, build rosters, and put a productive entity on the field. I saw the report about Chip Kelly not needing complete control, which makes me feel a little better about him, but he's still not even in my top 3 of guys rumored to be interviewing with Lurie.

4. Versatility: If you pay any attention to me on Twitter (@mike_e_kaye) or on the message boards on BGN (NJEagle), then you know I am very pro Mike McCoy. I love that he has come up through the ranks of the Carolina Panthers but wasn't blitzed through his progression in scaling the hierarchy of the team. I love that he transitioned into a being a passing game coordinator because it means he truly knows how to work with QBs. He got Jake Delhomme, the definition of "just a guy", to a Pro Bowl; he developed Matt Moore; when he moved to Denver, he got Kyle "just another guy" Orton to put up massive numbers; then he managed to coordinate an offense that got to the playoffs with a Jets special teamer, who apparently has a large following in Florida, as his QB. I don't even count this year, where McCoy's team (IMO) is the favorite for the Superbowl with Peyton Manning.

Sorry, I know I just went on a tangent about McCoy, but he is my favorite. Anyway, showing versatility is very important because the Eagles are at an odd point in their QB history. They have an aging, athletic conundrum with a contract that will likely be terminated in less than a month, and a young, interesting (if not impressive) rookie who has the support of a ton of the fanbase. The truth is, no one know if either is the answer, but either way, the new guy needs to make one of them work or be able to draft and get a guy ready to start immediately. Personally, I think we have way to many holes to draft a QB in a weak class with the 4th overall pick, so it should be either Nick Foles or Mike Vick's time to shine (I lean toward Nick as a full off-season as a starter could do him wonders).

Versatility is also important on the defensive side and as the entire secondary needs to be replaced. With Trent Cole getting older and DeMeco Ryans a question mark with his contract (he better stay no matter what scheme), we need to be able to have a guy that can play with the talent (or even lack thereof) and win.

5. Team Builder: When I say team builder, I don't mean drafting and signing, I mean developing talent. Howie Roseman drafts and signs players for the head coach, and that head coach needs to prove he can work with those acquisitions. I want to see the guy bring in UFAs and getting them to produce. He needs to get the most out of the high-paid FAs as well. Or we're pretty much doomed.

Me: Bored yet? Here are my top five characteristics, in no particular order: ability to lead men, flexible, innovative, reflective, humble.

The ability to lead men is a given. He doesn't have to be demonstrably passionate and a raving lunatic. While I think that's mostly superficial anyway, I do think it's important to radiate a certain amount of energy off of which a team can feed. I want a head coach who can relate to his players on a professional and personal level, who can figure out the right way to get through to and galvanize them. He needs to build unity and foster a team identity that the players buy into. Remember, there were more than a few players who talked about guys not "buying in" to what Andy Reid was preaching.

Flexibility is huge to me. It was my biggest pet peeve with Andy Reid, how he was always so unflinchingly stubborn and unwilling to embrace alternative philosophies. Nothing could ever be done in a way that wasn't Andy's way. There was never any deviation from or amending of THE PLAN. I want the new head coach to find the perfect harmony between his philosophies and his players. No matter how much you try to jam a square peg into a round hole, it's not going to fit.

As Brandon mentioned, innovation is also key. We need a forward, different thinker; someone who has a vision for where the NFL is going and what it will take to be successful. Andy was that guy when he first arrived. This is one of the reasons I'm partial to an up-and-coming coordinator rather than a retread coach.

A coach who can be reflective is big as well. To err is human, and making mistakes is fine. What's not fine is never learning from those mistakes and continuing to make them over and over again. Andy Reid told us he would learn from those mistakes and "get it fixed," but that amounted to little more than lip service. The Eagles next head coach must be able to have the right combination of confidence and humility (see next paragraph). He has to understand his strengths, weaknesses, successes and failures. This is one of the reasons I've thrown my hat in the ring for Howie Roseman. Whereas the Eagles as an organization used to flaunt an air of superiority and thumb its nose at everyone else, I've never gotten that sense about Roseman. He admitted to past mistakes and put the focus on learning from them to get better, to ensure that those mistakes are not repeated. I respect that, and I believe it is imperative to self-improvement. If the 2012 draft is any indication, Roseman has already taken the first step. Hopefully during this offseason he realizes the mistake he made in maintaining the status quo at safety going into the 2012 season.

There's a thin line between confidence and hubris, and Andy Reid crossed it flagrantly. So when I write "humble," I mean I don't want the coach to think he knows everything. He is not infallible, he can always learn, adapt and add to his arsenal. I guess this goes hand in hand with "reflective." I also couldn't really think of a fifth characteristic.

3. Identify five foundational players on each side of the ball around whom you'd want to build those units (i.e the new era of Brian Dawkins, Jeremiah Trotter, Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Hugh Douglas, Chad Lewis, Tra Thomas, etc); also identify two players on each side of the ball poised to establish themselves and make big leaps forward in 2013.

Brandon: I would prefer to be able to name a QB as the player the Eagles should build around, but they don't have that player yet (unless Nick Foles proves to be that guy, which, due to history, may be unlikely). It's hard to name older guys as guys they should necessarily "build" around, but I am interpretting "build" here as a key part of their success immediately moving forward:

Offense

1) LeSean McCoy - Obvious. Dynamic rushing attack weapon which ideally is a complement to a strong passing game.
2) Jason Peters - If healthy, best LT in the league. Very important in opening holes for the running game and prevent the QB from being destroyed.
3) DeSean Jackson - Utilize his speed to stretch the field and find other creative ways to get him touches; should complement him with a stronger, bigger WR opposite of him.
4) Bryce Brown - If he can fix the fumbling issue, which I think he can, he can be a very good rushing threat as well. Pair him with Shady McCoy and you won't have problems running the ball.
5) Tight End - I'd like the Eagles to upgrade at TE to a more athletic guy (if not two) that can work the middle of the field.

Breakout candidates:

1) Bryce Brown - Oozing potential.
2) Jeremy Maclin - Sort of a stretch here, but like DRC, I'm not convinced he has fulfilled his potential yet.

Defense

1) Brandon Graham - He looks to be a stud in both rushing the passer and playing the run. Will be a force on the edge for years to come.
2) Fletcher Cox - The makings of a dominant interior lineman.
3) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - I still feel that DRC can be a great corner. It's a matter of matching the mind with the talent.
4) DeMeco Ryans - Possibly more so in the short term, but he's a solid MLB who can anchor the middle of the defense.
5) Safety - The Eagles desperately need to upgrade at safety.

Breakout candidates:

1) DRC - The ability is there.
2) Brandon Graham - He's not just going to be good on the edge. He's going to be a force.

Mike: While this team does seemingly lack talent, that doesn't mean we don't have talented guys on the roster. This is clearly a case of a untalented team instead of untalented individuals. With that said, we've had a few cornerstones for a few years, that I see making the transition to the new coach and being better in the process. Typically with a second coach (which is the case with most of the guys on offense), players either buy in or they're gone fast. I think these five guys will be the cornerstones on offense:

Lesean McCoy: Despite the injury-plagued year, Shady is still a top 5 (if not top 3) running back in the league. He is easily one of the most balanced players in the league and has shown the ability to carry the team on his back and close games. Given his comments made in the wake of Andy's firing, I think McCoy is ready to be a leader on this team in a big way.

Jason Peters: Best offensive tackle in football? Probably. We desperately need him to come back fully healthy. It's hard to attribute the downfall of this year to one player, especially an offensive lineman, but losing JP crushed us from the get-go.

DeSean Jackson: I still see people bash DeSean's effort on Twitter, but what those "casual fans" don't realize, is DeSean was having a career year before he got injured. I think he's ready to prove that he is here to stay in 2013.

Brent Celek: While he did have a tough year, he still gives all the effort in the world. As the year wore on, you could see him taking on a leadership role and doing pregame speeches. As much as he loves Andy, I think a change will do him a world of good.

Evan Mathis: This will be a huge year for Evan. Mudd will be gone, so he needs to prove that he isn't the product of a system. He should have been a Pro Bowler this year, but I think that chip on his shoulder will bring some nastiness next season.

I'm aware I didn't list Nick Foles or Mike Vick and that is because I think, for right now, either one of them is just the guy for 2013. After next year, we shall see.

Breakout players:

Bryce Brown: Stop fumbling and he'll be fine. I think his development is actually a good thing for Shady. Running a two-back system, if done right, can do wonders. They can be much better than DeAngelo Williams-Jon Stewart.

Jeremy Maclin: He really has no choice. He's in the last year of his deal and he needs to excel to get that big contract. I like what I saw down the stretch from him. Has to stop tackling himself in the open field.

Now this question asks me to list four on both sides but as I've noted before, this team is lacking talent and the entire secondary needs to be rebuilt. Right now, I only have four guys with two likely to come in the offseason. Ironically, three of the four cornerstones were added in this year of awfulness.

DeMeco Ryans: One year in means he now can be the unquestioned voice in the locker room. It's obvious that the players respect him and he had a very good year this season, so I think he's earned the right to play, despite a sizable contract. He has a good four years left.

Fletcher Cox: Cox is the guy most of us wanted in the draft and he really delievered. He showed the ability to be an X-Factor on defense as a run stopper and at times flashes Haynesworth-like pass rush ability. This kid is going be a Pro Bowler for years to come.

Mychal Kendricks: Dude had an up-and-down rookie year, but I attribute that to a lot of mid-season change. I think they need to blitz him a lot more. Had his moments in coverage, and I am excited about his future.

Brandon Graham: What a difference a Washburn makes. I'm hoping the last few games of this season weren't a fluke. If it isn't, watch out NFC East.

The second part of this has to do with players on the rise and since I only have four cornerstones on defense, let me put start with two guys who I think can become cornerstones if given the chance.

Cedric Thornton: Few guys on this team get me as excited as Cedric. This kid is big and doesn't mind getting into scrambles. I like that. He can be a major player against the run and possibly a starter for the foreseeable future, if put in the right scheme.

Vinny Curry: Vinny is interesting. He had a great debut, but kind of fell by the way side after that. I think, as the team's third DE, he can make a bigger impact in 2013.

Me:

Offense: LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jason Kelce, Evan Mathis, Brent Celek

I'd like to put Nick Foles on this list, I want to put him on this list. While I am comfortable with him as the starter in 2013, I still need to see more before deciding once and for all about his viability as a franchise quarterback.

LeSean and DeSean are easy choices to me. The glaring omission here is Jason Peters. That's only because I don't know if he can be relied upon as a foundational player, at least as I interpret the meaning. Peters turns 31 in two weeks and is coming off a serious injury that could hamper his greatest asset, freakish athleticism. While all the reports on his recovery have been positive, the biological clock is ticking, and his surgically repaired Achilles tendon still has to suport 330 pounds. In the interest of fairness, I know Evan Mathis will turn 32 next season. However, he played at an All-Pro level this season amidst all the carnage and, since he started sporadically his first seven years in the league, doesn't have the type of wear and tear that is common with a 32-year old football player. I also like that he said his goal for 2013 is to become the best guard in football. I'm going to go ahead and believe in him.

I'm the only one who included Jason Kelce on the list. Kelce is pigeonholed as a Mudder, but I think he could play in any blocking system and be effective. I spoke to him in the locker room after the Browns game and got the sense he was emerging as one of this team's leaders on offense. How he recovers from the ACL tear and what the injury means for his movement skills, we'll have to wait and see. I still think Brent Celek can be one of the premier pass-catching tight ends in this league. Yes, he had a rough 2012 season, but he is a warrior and has the kind of mindset I want this team to assume. It doesn't hurt that Celek still has the talent to be one hell of a weapon, but I do think the Eagles need to bring in a big, athletic, new breed of tight end to pair with him and lessen the burden.

Breakout: Damaris Johnson (seriously, he needs to be a regular part of the offense) and Bryce Brown (something something Bo Jackson something something stop fumbling)

Defense: Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Cedric Thornton, DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks

I don't know if Trent Cole is washed up, but he is 30 and no longer what I'd consider a foundational player. Fletcher Cox is a unique specimen at DT and was delightful to watch; he will soon be one of the best in the league at his position. Brandon Graham played well all season and particularly came on strong at the end once he got Jason Babin's reps. It's taken longer than he or anyone else would've liked, but Graham is on his way to being a top-notch defensive end. I'm calling it right now: He'll be one of the league's top-five sack-leaders in 2013. Cedric Thornton was a player who intrigued me dating back to the 2011 Senior Bowl. He's got a rare blend of size, strength and quickness, and we were able to see flashes of that this season. Thornton's a player who's trending up, and 2013 feels like the season he breaks out. DeMeco Ryans was one of the lone bright spots on the defense and often resembled the player who, as a Houston Texan, was considered one of the best linebackers in football. Mychal Kendricks was moved around and frequently misused as a rookie; he has a world of talent, what I think he really needs is a coach who can help him harness it.

Breakout: Brandon Graham (see above) and Cedric Thornton (see above)

4. I tried to make this question specific to in-game situations. I came up with different down, distance and circumstance scenarios, and asked Mike and Brandon how they'd ideally want the new head coach to handle each.

For example, I referenced the Falcons game and Andy Reid's fateful decision to punt the ball on 4th and 2 from the Falcons 49-yard line. You remember. It was 21-7, two minutes left in the first half, with the Falcons getting the ball to start the third quarter. The Eagles had been handled rather easily to that point but were still presented with an opportunity to seize momentum -- which they were building on that drive -- and get back in the game. I felt the decision to go for it was necessary. I didn't even view the move as aggressive. It was a matter of understanding the ebb and flow of the game -- how it had gone, how it was going, how it would go. Andy went conservative (see: loser), deciding to punt and trust a defense that had shown it did not deserve his trust. Jon Dorenbos downed Mat McBriar's punt at the 9-yard line. Punting was, without question, the by-the-book, more conventional and safe move. Of course, the Falcons immediately erased the 40-yard swing in field position and marched down the field without much resistance, tacking on a field goal that increased their lead to 24-7. If I were douchemaster Gregg Easterbrook, the moment that McBriar punted the ball is when I would have written "game (and probably season) over" in my nonexistent notebook.

Anyway, both Mike and Brandon agreed that they would rather have a coach who operates without fear, who is aggressive and assertive in his approach. Naturally, there are exceptions to this mindset and every decision should be backed with reason rather than brazenness. As Brandon explained, "The odds say to go for it on fourth down or two-point conversions. Don't regret being too conservative."

5. What would a new head coach have to say or do from a first-impression standpoint to sway you and get you on board with his hiring if at first you're against it? What would he have to do immediately to get you to change your mind?

Brandon: The only way I would be against a new coach is if they didn't focus on the QB (or offense) enough. In order to convince me otherwise, he would need to build a truly elite defense and a dominant rushing attack.

Mike: I feel like there is a lot to like about the head coaching candidates. I think what Jeff Lurie said about a great leader is important. For some time now, we've had a father figure as a head coach, and not really a guy who tells the team what they need to hear and gets them compete like warriors. I think it is essential at a time when you have QBs making Spartan speeches before games (Drew Brees) and players rallying around tragedy (Chuck Pagano situation, and the KC/DAL deaths) that we find a guy who can bring the heart out of these players.

I think a new coach needs to establish right away that he's extremely confident in the talent we have, whether they are all staying or not. I just think the next guy, if arrogant, needs to be extroverted about it instead of the Andy-esque introvert. I want a guy like Phillip Rivers as my coach. He's feisty, he's cocky, and he needs to win in his bones. I want this new coach to say "We are going to win, there is nothing else to be done." Andy would never say that.

I think an immediate change needs to be made with the roster. Vick gone. Nnamdi gone or extremely restructured (that means he's making like $4m at most annually). Also, the new coach needs to watch tape and see who didn't play like it was their last game every game. I don't think anyone in particular quit on this team last season, but I'd say at least 25% didn't give their best effort and it showed. As far as I am concerned, he should have a closed door meeting with LeSean McCoy, Jason Avant, DeMeco Ryans, Todd Herremans, Evan Mathis, and Trent Cole, and figure out what went wrong, so he can learn from it.

A new coach needs to be able to make good signings, not big ones. Howie plays into this, but nothing would impressive me more than bringing in Jairus Byrd or Dashon Goldson. This shouldn't be a splurge-signing summer, so hopefully nothing too dramatic will happen.

Me: "Fuck the Cowboys."

If you've gotten all the way to the end of this Megillah, gold star for you. I started off wanting Greg Roman and flirted with the prospect of Mike McCoy. However, after thorough research and considerable internal debate, the head coaching candidate I'm zeroing in on is Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. This is the guy, and I felt that way before Sunday's win over the Redskins (let's exercise perspective and lend context about that game, since pre-hobbled RG3 was slicing and dicing the Seattle defense). Bradley is an innovative and imaginative defensive mind who runs a hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense. I've watched Seahawks games this season, and on numerous occasions I caught myself thinking that a certain blitz design reminded me of Jim Johnson. Gus Bradley has become a hot name in recent days, and you've surely read the now-famous Monte Kiffin quote. From all that I can gather, he sounds like exactly the kind of leader this team needs both on and off the field. I know this is cliche, and I hate to trot it out, but tell me Bradley's personality doesn't scream Philly. I truly believe he is the kind of coach who could change what's become a toxic culture of softness, selfishness and complacency in the locker room.

I'll preface the following by acknowledging the possibility that the Seahawks don't release any other assistant coaches from their contracts. Aside from bringing along, say, Ken Norton Jr. or Rocky Seto to be defensive coordinator (Edit: Scratch that, Bradley's longtime colleague and close friend Todd Wash, currently the Seahawks DL coach, would probably figure to be the choice for DC), if Bradley could coax current Seahawks offensive line and assistant head coach Tom Cable to come with him, that would be a coup. I know Cable has something of a checkered past with regards to behavior when he was the Raiders head coach, but he did a commendable job in Oakland. There's no denying how hard that team played for him; those Raiders bought into what he preached and were a physical, nasty bunch that came to play every game. Adding someone with head coaching experience, and considering what Cable has done with the Seahawks as the run game coordinator, is enticing. My only worry is what would happen with Nick Foles. Does Cable have any involvement with or interest in coaching up quarterbacks? If that's not his forte, then bringing in the right position coach to nurture Foles and help him develop is obviously a must, as well.

Thanks for reading, hopefully the content wasn't too repetitive. (It was, wasn't it? Shit.)