Rumors about NFL trade: do not rule out Eagles’ deal with Doug Pederson

Carson Wentz’s name came up in NFL trade rumors, as he was supposed to request a change of scenery this off-season. But what if, instead, it’s Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson on the move?

THE PREMISE

This Pro Football Talk report that came out on Saturday caught my eye:

It is a viable strategy for any coach looking for a new head coach and hoping to hire proven merchandise, rather than relying on a coordinator’s potential promotion of Peter’s Principle. It is not an exchange per se, because it starts with the new team calling a coach’s current team, asking if the current team would be willing to be compensated for losing the coach and reaching an agreement as to what the compensation would be. Then, the new team would communicate directly with the coach in hopes of drawing up a contract under which he would be hired by the new team.

In the current cycle, it is rumored that one of the teams currently looking for a coach – the Jets, Jaguars, Lions, Falcons, Chargers and Texans – could try to hire a current head coach with another team. The coach’s current team could end it quickly by hanging up the phone. But it costs nothing to make the call, and it is believed that at least one team can make the call to one of the teams that, at least for now, has a head coach.

Hm. Are any of these teams asking about Pederson’s availability? There is nothing in that PFT report to suggest that much.

But there IT’S this interesting synopsis of an ESPN article published on December 6 that I’m not sure if Eagles fans already knew (emphasis added):

A Philly special in NY? When the Jets begin their search for the coach, which seems inevitable, a name to watch for is Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson. You can already hear the rumors in the league circles. His action is down because the Eagles (3-7-1) are fighting and quarterback Carson Wentz is regressing, but he is a Super Bowl winning coach with an important connection to the Jets.

Pederson and Jets GM Joe Douglas arrived in the same year (2016) in Philadelphia, where Douglas served as the vice president of personnel for players. They worked together for three years, highlighting the Super Bowl championship in the 2017 season. At the moment, things are so bad in Philadelphia that Pederson’s job security has become an issue. If he gets fired, he will be free to speak to any team. There are those who think that the Eagles can “change it”, getting compensation from another team.

Three years ago, Pederson was a Philadelphia hero. Since the parade on Broad Street, he’s 21-21-1. But relationships are important in the NFL, which is why you should pay attention when the layoff / hiring season begins.

It is not the first time that I have heard of the possibility of Pederson being negotiated, in fact. Therefore, I am inclined to think that this idea is not a far-fetched result. Especially when there is logic behind it.

THE OTHER TEA LEAVES

In addition to the PFT and ESPN reports mentioned above, there are some other clues that may suggest that Pederson will not be returning.

Jimmy Kempski, man BGN Radio co-presenter, had the following to say about the possibility of exchanging Pederson in his Sunday mailbag for PhillyVoice (emphasis added):

This would not surprise me. The Jets need a head coach and, obviously, Pederson and Joe Douglas worked together in Philadelphia. The Jets also have an extra choice in the first round, an extra choice in the third round and an extra choice in the fourth or fifth round, depending on the conditions of their deal with Leonard Williams. Add in a recent report that Pederson wouldn’t mind being somewhere else, and he really isn’t that crazy.

Also, if I am going to put my foil hat on here for a second, I will add that the Eagles had the opportunity to coach one of the Senior Bowl teams, but my understanding is that they refused, although it may be related to the pandemic. To watch, you cannot train the Senior Bowl if you have a new head coach.

I would also like to note that you have been abnormally quiet in the searches of the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator until now. Maybe that doesn’t mean anything, because the Eagles are just taking too long. Or maybe it’s because Pederson is going to be the first domino to fall.

THE JET CONNECTION

As ESPN noted, Pederson has a natural connection to the Jets. Douglas had already spoken highly of the Eagles’ head coach.

Here is what Douglas had to say about Pederson shortly after being hired as general manager of the Jets in 2019:

“Exactly how Doug handled his first year. We started 3-0, things were going very well, we lost some guys, we hit some holes in the way, we ended the season 7-9 and the way he attacked in that off season and how he managed to unify the team with his message. And the type of guy he is, is the most genuine and authentic person you will ever meet. He’s a guy who says what he wants and wants to say what he says, and the players believe in him and believe in his aggressive mentality, so I love how he managed the team ”.

And here’s what Douglas had to say about Pederson a few days ago, when asked about #TankGate during a recent interview with WFAN:

“I can talk about my time with Coach Pederson, and he had unbelievable credibility with the players, being an NFL quarterback for so long. The players loved him and that is something important that he has. He’s smart and has great relationships in the building. I’m not familiar with the situation there, but I have the greatest respect for Coach Pederson. “

Pederson also seems to have respect for Douglas. The head coach had the following to say when Douglas was being connected to the Jets’ GM job:

“Our relationship has been great. It’s like we said before: it is a big part of our recognition process and it gets the information we need from our scouts and helps us in this area. Our process has always been collaborative. There is a lot of open dialogue, between me and Howie, Joe and Howie, the three of us together, our owner [Jeffrey Lurie], and he is [Joe] really built that relationship and did a good job for us. “

THE COMPENSATION

Why would Jets give up assets to trade for a head coach when they can simply hire one without doing so? Well, maybe they are not enthusiastic about potential candidates and / or candidates do not find the show so attractive. Jets’ ownership can be an impediment.

In addition, Jets have some draft capital to burn. They have two choices in the first round, two choices in the third round and two choices in the fourth round (assuming Leonard Williams signs again with the New York Giants) in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Jets also have two choices in the first round and two choices in the fourth round in the NFL’s 2022 Draft.

The point is, the Jets have enough ammunition to surrender for what could be considered an exciting signing in the form of a Super Bowl winning coach who made it to the playoffs in three of the past four years.

It is difficult to say what Pederson would look for in a business. A first-round choice seems very rich to me. And the third of the Jets? Or maybe the second?

THE OPTICS

I think the Eagles may want to pass Pederson. I just don’t think they want to completely fire their only Super Bowl winning head coach.

Especially after the report that Wentz’s relationship with Pederson is “fractured beyond repair.” If the Eagles fire Pederson, it will look like Wentz forced the head coach to leave. (It is not crazy to think that could be the case, given the organizational power he said he wields.)

By switching Pederson, however, the organization can garner enthusiasm from fans about the asset the team would receive in return. The team can also spin as if they wanted Pederson back, but the value was too good to pass up.

THE PEDERSON FACTOR

Pederson would probably be more than willing to join a new team. The current prospects for the Eagles are bleak and it was said that Pederson “would not be totally unhappy if he ended up being fired”. It is not difficult to understand why when one considers that Pederson receives a disproportionate amount of blame for the eagles’ struggles. He is often held responsible for failures that should be attributed to Roseman and the front office.

Pederson’s intention is relevant here because – unlike when a team changes a player – the coach needs to give consent to be transferred, since he is signing a new contract.

THE WENTZ FACTOR

As a reminder, the following report came out last week:

A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Carson Wentz needs time away to think about his future with the Philadelphia Eagles and is hopeful it will not end in divorce. […] Wentz’s relationship with the organization is tense, according to another person close to the situation. It will be necessary for the two sides to come together for it to work.

I wrote this at the time:

Based on what has been said here, it appears that Wentz’s hope of returning would be based on stipulations. Perhaps he hopes that the eagles will pass Pederson, although that doesn’t seem likely at the moment?

Changing Pederson could be a way for the Eagles to save their relationship with Wentz.

Now, whether it is worth getting rid of Pederson to prevent Wentz from requiring an exchange is a matter of debate. The feeling here is that the Eagles may come to regret that decision. But I’m just describing another reason why negotiating with Pederson can be realistic.

THE NEW MAIN COACH

So, let’s say the Eagles negotiate Pederson. Who is your replacement? Aren’t the Eagles chasing the eight-ball with other teams already interviewing candidates for head coach?

It seems so. But perhaps the Eagles did their homework in silence. Perhaps they can rely heavily on connections from agents like Howie Roseman and the offensive coordinator for Buffalo Bills, both represented by Bob LaMonte.

Or perhaps the Eagles would just promote the promotion of assistant coach / running back coach Duce Staley to Pederson’s old position. They could then seek to hire an offensive coordinator with play-call functions, as Staley has no experience in that role. I’m just spitting here. But does that make any sense?

THE LIKELIHOOD

Despite reporting last week that Pederson is due to return as head coach in 2021, things I’m hearing make me less than 100% confident he will be back.

To be clear, my understanding is not based on preferences. In fact, I would like to see Pederson be at least another year old. I don’t think he should be a scapegoat for the broad issues of this organization. I think the Eagles know that many others feel the same way, which contributes to making the trade route more palatable than firing him.

We’ll see what happens. The next week could be a big one when it comes to Pederson’s future in Philadelphia.

UPDATE: Naturally, as I was writing this post, the following report came up: