What happens when we plug the names of the best remaining Eagles OC candidates into ChatGPT’s engine?
Once we turn the calendar from January’s final Monday to Tuesday, we’ll enter a third week dedicated to the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator search. Names have changed, but the climate and landscape remain familiar.
Names have been added to the mix. Candidates have withdrawn from consideration. The general public remains confused. Not even one full year after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, none of the top options are interested in becoming the Eagles’ top offensive assistant.
Perhaps Philadelphia is exercising patience? Maybe Brian Daboll mentioned the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills to give the impression that he had more options? Perhaps he was trying to rush Philadelphia into a decision?
Maybe he was truly in the running for jobs with those two franchises. Who knows? Those are questions we’re throwing out for fodder. No one has all of the information. We’re all trying to piece this together. What we do know is that no one likes all of the remaining candidates we’re told are still in the running.
Who is the best fit for Jalen Hurts? How do we describe the best fit for the roster overall? Who carries the most red flags? Is there any long-term stability for any of these guys?
The Eagles’ top remaining offensive coordinator candidates ranked by artificial intelligence.
As we ventured through Championship Sunday, we learned the Eagles had interest in Arthur Smith before he accepted the Ohio State Buckeyes job. Once we began another workweek, it was learned that Charlie Weis Jr. had removed his name from consideration. Hours later, Declan Doyle arrived at the same decision.
Just for kicks, we took a breather. We plugged a few names into ChatGPT and asked who the best candidates were for the Eagles’ OC job. What we learned was AI’s list looks a lot like some of our own. Here’s what they came up with. Keep in mind that we aren’t sure whether Brian Daboll is still in the running.
1. Brian Daboll
AI gives Brian Daboll a five-star rating as a potential OC hire, citing he has the best chance to elevate Jalen Hurts immediately. He lands atop the list because he has already done the job before and has previously had success working with Josh Allen.
2. Mike Kafka
Mike Kafka lands second on the list. His approach seems to emphasize rhythm and being ‘on time’. Those are areas where we have seen Jalen Hurts struggle. That could lead to questions, but Kafka has coached mobile quarterbacks before and understands how to blend run concepts into the passing game.
3. Frank Smith
Frank Smith is one of the new additions to this list. He worked with Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator. He’s intriguing and shouldn’t be viewed as someone the Eagles are pursuing, since he was closest to one of the guys they actually wanted.
4. Matt Nagy
Nagy is a descendant of the Andy Reid coaching tree. He never quite recovered from the ‘Double-Doink Game’. Word has it that he even had kickers audition for a job the following season by kicking from the same spot that Cody Parkey missed the go-ahead field goal attempt in the Wild Card Game.
Nagy is better than the reputation suggests. He could do a good job in returning to the place where his coaching career began.
5. Josh Grizzard
Here’s one of the guys we know the least about, yet AI ranks him fifth-best. Settling on him means the Eagles would have placed more emphasis on potential than on proof and his resume.
6. Jerrod Johnson
Jerrod Johnson is another of the new additions to the Eagles’ OC conversation. He is a good teacher, but this may be a mismatch in terms of need. Known as a QB developer, he would be asked to grow into his new role a la Kevin Patullo. If you remember that ultimately led to Patullo’s undoing. Johnson might be a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ candidate, but again, these are only opinions we’re sharing.
7. Jim Bob Cooter
Some would rank Jim Bob Cooter higher. He actually has OC experience. There’s an obvious low ceiling here, as there isn’t much evidence that he elevates quarterbacks or builds innovative systems that let them do what they do best.
Verdict
The Eagles need to reinvent their offense, and they need to reinvent Jalen Hurts to some degree. They need someone who understands how to do both. None of these guys is a slam-dunk hire in that regard.
All have positives. All have flaws. One of the most important decisions of the offseason keeps being weighed. One false move and Philadelphia will throw away another season.
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