6 potential candidates for Eagles' defensive coordinator job, including 3 ex-head coaches

The Eagles' defensive coordinator position should be an enticing one whether Doug Pederson remains the head coach or not.

That's because the philosophy of team president and CEO Jeffrey Lurie has always been to hire an offensive-minded head coach, thus giving a defensive coordinator the autonomy to run the defense.

That was the case with Schwartz, who was hired at the same time Pederson became the head coach in 2016. It was also the case when the Eagles hired Andy Reid as head coach in 1999. Reid brought in veteran defensive coach Jim Johnson to run the defense, which he did until cancer led to his death in 2009.

Then again, the defensive coordinator will be busy trying to upgrade a defense that ranks 20th in the NFL in points allowed per game at 26.5 in a season when injuries exposed a lack of depth at all three position units.

Here, then, is a look at some possible candidates, including two assistant coaches on the Eagles' staff.

1. Dan Quinn, ex-Falcons head coach

Quinn became the Falcons' head coach in 2015 after serving as the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator in 2013-14, which was the height of Seattle's dominating defense nicknamed "The Legion of Boom."

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Under Quinn, the Falcons reached the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. The following season, Atlanta ranked eighth in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed. The Falcons also made the playoffs in 2017, losing 15-10 to the Eagles in the divisional round. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl that season.

Quinn was fired earlier this season following an 0-5 start. Overall, his record as a head coach was 43-42.

2. Marquand Manuel, Eagles DB coach

Manuel was hired as the Eagles' defensive backs coach this season.

But he served for two seasons as Quinn's defensive coordinator in 2017-18. Before that, Manuel was the Falcons' secondary/senior defensive assistant from 2015-16. He, too, spent time with the Seahawks as a special teams assistant (2012), defensive assistant (2013) and assistant secondary coach (2014).

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Manuel also played eight seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, beginning as a sixth-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002.

3. Matt Burke, Eagles' DL coach

Like Manuel, Burke has experience as a defensive coordinator, leading the Miami Dolphins' defense in 2017-18. He then came to the Eagles as a defensive special assistant in 2019 before moving to defensive line coach this season. He is also the defensive run game coordinator.

The Eagles tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks with 46.

The Dolphins were rebuilding during Burke's seasons as defensive coordinator. But they improved from 29th in total defense to 16th in Burke's first season. Before that, Burke was the Bengals' linebackers coach in 2014-15, and the Lions' linebackers coach from 2009-13.

Those years with the Lions were during the time that Schwartz was the team's head coach.

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4. Raheem Morris, Falcons' interim coach

Keeping with the Atlanta theme, it's possible that Morris, who replaced Quinn as interim head coach, might not get the permanent job, especially with Atlanta looking for a new general manager.

It was reported that Morris is one of the candidates being interviewed for the Falcons' head coaching job. The Falcons are 4-6 under Morris following the 0-5 start.

If he doesn't get it, the Eagles could go after him as a defensive coordinator. Morris was the Falcons' defensive coordinator this season before replacing Quinn. He has experience on both sides of the ball as a coach. Morris began the 2019 season as the wide receivers coach before moving to the secondary following a 1-7 start.

Morris, most notably, was the Buccaneers head coach from 2009-11, taking over at the age of 32. He went 17-31 in three seasons.

5. Matt Patricia, ex-Lions head coach

The Eagles could also pull from the Bill Belichick coaching tree and go after recently-fired Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia.

The Lions went 13-29-1 in Patricia's 2 1/2 seasons as head coach. He was fired after a humiliating 41-25 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Houston Texans. The Lions were 4-7 at the time.

Before that, Patricia was the Patriots' defensive coordinator from 2012-17. During that time, the Patriots won two Super Bowls and New England allowed the fewest points in the NFL in 2016.

Then again, Nick Foles and the Eagles' torched Patricia's defense in what would be Patricia's final game with New England. Foles was named the Super Bowl MVP after throwing for 373 yards and 3 TDs in the Eagles' 41-33 win. 

6. Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin defensive coordinator

If the Eagles wanted to look to the college ranks, they could look at Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who played for several teams in the NFL as a defensive back from 2005-14.

Wisconsin's defense ranked as high as second in the nation in 2017, his first season as the defensive coordinator. The Badgers were ranked sixth in 2019. 

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.