The Philadelphia Eagles' approach to their offensive coordinator search has infuriated fans. They don't seem to be in much of a rush to get someone in the building, even knowing how much Kevin Patullo's poor play-calling doomed the team all season.
Fortunately for them, the right candidate may have just fallen into their laps. The New York Jets did what the Jets usually do; they made an inexplicable decision and parted ways with one of their few solid hires.
Head coach Aaron Glenn fired first-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. It was somewhat surprising, given that their season had ended 23 days ago. Whatever the case, the Eagles will be wise to act now.
The Eagles Should Make a Run at Tanner Engstrand
The Jets' offensive numbers were pretty bad. That being said, it's worth noting that Engstrand didn't have much to work with. They had probably the worst quarterback room and play in the entire league, and little to no talent in the pass-catching department, especially after Garrett Wilson suffered an injury.
Despite that, Engstrand's Jets ranked near the top of the league in a key stat. As shown by Jets analyst Michael Nania of Jets X Factor, they ranked fourth-best in average separation on intermediate passes (2.9 yards), even ahead of teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams. Unsurprisingly, they were also better than the Eagles, and only the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, and Buffalo Bills were ahead of them in that regard.
Engstrand was in his first year as a play-caller and offensive coordinator, but he clearly has a good feel for the game and can create good route concepts. He needs some talent to work with, and he'd get plenty of that in Philadelphia.
He spent extensive time with Ben Johnson during his time with the Detroit Lions, and we already saw what that offense was capable of when at its best. He's certainly worth a flier, especially with little to no elite candidates still up for grabs.
The Eagles will move forward with a second interview with Green Bay Packers quarterback coach Sean Mannion, who doesn't seem to have many, if any, competitors for the gig. That being said, they would be doing the franchise and the fan base a disservice if they don't get Engstrand on the phone before the end of the week.