Eagles Insider Says Jim Schwartz Expected to Return as Defensive Coordinator Next Season
By Jerry Trotta
The current status of Jim Schwartz on the Philadelphia Eagles' coaching staff is complicated, to say the least.
It's understood that the 53-year-old defensive coordinator has been tabbed as a head coaching candidate by the Cleveland Browns. How pragmatic it would be for Schwartz to take that job remains to be seen, and head Doug Pederson did anything but clear the air during Wednesday's press conference.
If you were to ask Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, however, he'd tell you that Schwartz would be returning to the City of Brotherly Love next season.
Despite Doug Pederson’s awkward answers when it came to his assistants, I still view DC Jim Schwartz as more likely to return next season for the #Eagles than OC Mike Groh or WRs coach Carson Walch. Pederson had yet to even meet with owner Jeffery Lurie as of Weds presser.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 8, 2020
So, mark it down?
In fact, McLane adamantly believes that offensive coordinator Mike Groh and wide receiver's coach Carson Walch are more likely to depart this offseason, which completely contradicts Pederson's original assertions.
"Both those guys will be back," the head coach said regarding Groh and Walch.
Doug Pederson when asked about Mike Groh and Carson Walch: I think they did an excellent job this season. My hats off to them.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 8, 2020
On whether they’ll be back: Yes, both of those guys will be back. #Eagles
The Eagles boss would eventually walk back the guarantee that Groh and Walch would return in 2020, stating that "They are still currently here, and I'm going to continue to evaluate and assemble the best staff moving forward. But currently, they're still here."
Here are the series of questions to #Eagles HC Doug Pederson about whether DC Jim Schwartz, OC Mike Groh and WRs coach Carson Walch would return next season, and his answers, which seemed to ping pong all over the place: pic.twitter.com/ZW6bMv7nHs
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 8, 2020
We'll hazard a guess and say that Pederson would take a re-do on today's presser if given the chance.
The bottom line here is that McLane is of the assumption that Schwartz will keep the defensive coordinator gig in Philly, and that is a concept that should excite Eagles fans considering how imposing the team's defense was despite being without several key contributors due to injury.