If Eagles coach Doug Pederson plans to retain or promote quarterback coach and pass game coordinator Press Taylor as part of his strategy to revive his attack, he may want to consider how that would be seen by his team and locker room. .
If owner Jeffrey Lurie wants significant changes in crime and offensive staff, Pederson may have to choose between firing Taylor or losing his job.
Taylor, who has been with the organization since 2013, was promoted twice under Pederson. He was promoted from assistant coach of defenders to coach of defenders in 2018. He received the title of game coordinator of passes in the low season.
Taylor has been a constant in the development of quarterback Carson Wentz for the past five seasons. While Taylor and Wentz have a bond on and off the field, Wentz and the attack have regressed with each of Taylor’s promotions over the past three seasons.
Taylor also frustrated other offensive players in dealing with Wentz, a person with knowledge of the dynamics of the offensive technical team told NJ Advance Media on Sunday. The person obtained anonymity to speak freely.
There are coaches and players within the organization who believe Taylor let his personal relationship with Wentz get in the way of criticism of the defender, the person said.
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According to the person, there are offensive players on the list who feel that Taylor does not train Wentz hard enough, and some have even labeled his approach to QB as “smooth”.
Taylor’s treatment of Wentz is not uncommon within the organization. Pederson refused to dismiss Wentz in the first 11 games of the season, although Wentz led the league in twists, interceptions and serves at the time. When Pederson ended up replacing Wentz, he took his feelings into consideration, choosing to name the starting quarterback weekly, despite the flashes of brilliance of newcomer Jalen Hurts in his early opportunities to play longer.
Even with Pederson’s public pampering about Wentz, the relationship between the two is “fractured beyond repair,” according to ESPN. Due to this tension, Wentz is stopping to weigh his future with the franchise and considering an exchange request, according to The Associated Press.
When given the opportunity, Pederson always praised Taylor and promoted him. Taylor may actually be Pederson’s only chance to reconcile with Wentz.
According to ESPN, Pederson’s initial off-season encounter with Lurie did not go well, as Pederson’s original pitch lacked urgency to improve the attack. Jeff McLane of The Inquirer reported on Sunday that Pederson was considering promoting Taylor, again, to the offensive coordinator.
A former member of the Eagles coaching staff told NJ Advance Media that Taylor has the qualities of a successful offensive coordinator. Although Wentz’s regression was revealing, and the lack of imagination in the passing game is alarming, the former Eagles coach, who spoke to NJAM on the condition of anonymity, said that these fights cannot depend on Taylor alone.
“I think (Taylor’s) mind for the game is tremendous,” the coach told NJAM on Sunday. “It’s hard to judge the guy by his (offense) food when he didn’t buy the groceries.”
In addition to giving Taylor the passing game coordinator title last season, Pederson hired former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello as a senior offensive assistant and former offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg as a senior offensive consultant. After an embarrassing display of the attack throughout the season, the team let both coaches’ contracts expire.
A person with knowledge of the Eagles locker room dynamics told NJ Advance Media that the consensus among the offensive players was that Wentz had many voices in his ear – and outside of Pederson – most of them were not qualified to have an influence on the attack or in the quarterback. Taylor was among that group, the person said.
“I don’t think there is much respect for (Taylor),” said the person. “Or, for most coaches offensive on that subject.”
With Lurie looking for major improvements in the attack, maintaining the status quo and promoting from within could result in Pederson being fired. And even if Pederson is allowed to stay with Taylor, it can damage Pederson’s relationship with his players.
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