Steve Spagnuolo is off the market, Juan Castillo is still officially the Eagles defensive coordinator, and nearly three weeks after the Eagles ended one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, the only coaching change thats been made is the dismissal of cornerbacks coach Johnnie Lynn.
Multiple sources, including the Associated Press, reported Thursday evening that Spagnuolo, who spent the 1999 through 2006 on Andy Reids staff and was fired earlier this month after three years as head coach of the Rams, has agreed to join Sean Paytons Saints staff as defensive coordinator (see story.)
Although there was a great deal of speculation and even some erroneous news reports that Spagnuolo would re-join the Eagles, none of it came from the Eagles and theres no indication that the Eagles even contacted Spagnuolo at any point between him leaving the Rams and joining the Saints.
All of which certainly points to the increasing likelihood that Castillo will return to the Eagles for a second year as defensive coordinator and 17th year on the coaching staff.
Speculation has run rampant among Eagles fans about the defensive coordinator position because Reid has not met with the media since the season ended, other than brief comments immediately after the season finale against the Redskins in which he refused to discuss any future matters regarding himself or his coaching staff.
Castillo, the Eagles long-time offensive line coach, had a difficult first year as defensive coordinator, with the Eagles becoming the first team in NFL history to lose four home games that they led going into the fourth quarter. The Eagles blew five fourth-quarter leads in all, something no other team had ever done during the first nine weeks of the season.
The Eagles did play better late in the season, allowing only 46 points the last four games of the season against four non-playoff teams and improving their overall NFL rank to eighth in total yards and 10th in points allowed. Both were the Eagles best since 2008, Jim Johnsons final year before his tragic death following a courageous fight with cancer.
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But when owner Jeff Lurie shrugged off those last four games as essentially meaningless and even pointed out that Castillo was not the Eagles first choice for the defensive coordinator job, it certainly pointed toward Castillo being replaced.
And Spagnuolo, Tom Coughlins defensive coordinator during the Giants Super Bowl championship run in 2007, became the obvious object of that speculation. The Rams were 10-38 in Spagnuolos three years in St. Louis and ranked 29th, 19th and 21st in the NFL in defense during those three seasons.
With each day that passes by, and each highly regarded defensive coach that gets a job without the Eagles even contacting themthe Falcons hired Mike Nolan for their defensive coordinator opening, Spagnuolo now with the Saintsit appears more and more likely that Castillo will return for another year running the Eagles defense.
If the Eagles were seriously considering replacing Castillo, wouldnt there have been some sign so far that they were interviewing somebody to replace him as top candidates became unavailable? You would assume so.
One thing we do know is that Reid is a big believer in consistency. He had essentially the same coaching staff for his first seven or eight seasons in Philly until some of his assistantsJohn Harbaugh, Brad Childress, Ron Rivera, Pat Shurmur, Leslie Frazier and Spagnuolobegan getting head coaching jobs.
If the Eagles did fire or reassign Castillo, his replacement would be their fourth defensive coordinator in five years.
Since Reid is already essentially facing a one-year must-win ultimatum from Lurie, he may feel he has a better chance of success bringing Castillo back and maintaining that consistency than starting over with a new coordinator and a new scheme and a new system in a season in which hes been told he has to win big or lose his job.
The Eagles have also backed themselves into a corner with defensive line coach Jim Washburn, whose unusual wide nine alignment is not a great fit for all defensive schemes. Assuming the Eagles plan on keeping Washburnand they ranked second in the NFL in sacks in 2011they would have to find a defensive coordinator willing to work around Washburns system.
Theres also the issue of Reids job status. Lurie made it clear when he met the media earlier this month that the Eagles must have a very successful 2012 season for Reid to keep his job. Thats not a great scenario for a coach sorting through offers.
For instance, if Spagnuolo had offers from the Eagles and Saints, he very well could be far more likely to join a team coached by Payton, who won a Super Bowl two years ago and has tremendous job security, than one coached by Reid, who hasnt won a playoff game the last three years and could be out of a job this time next year. Along with his staff.
If the Eagles traded Asante Samuel and went with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha at their natural outside corner spots, drafted a linebacker at No. 15perhaps Luke Kuechly of Boston College or Courtney Upshaw or Donta Hightower of Alabamaand perhaps signed a veteran free agent safety, they could find themselves with one of the NFCs better defenses, with or without Castillo.
E-mail Reuben Frank rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.