For a while, the Doug Pederson to the Jets rumors have been a low simmer
Sunday morning, they caught a full flame.
Reports out of Philadelphia indicated the Eagles’ head coach may have fallen out of favor with his owner. Jeffrey Lurie is expected to meet with Pederson this week, but rumblings don’t indicate a favorable outcome for the coach.
Earlier reports stated Pederson would be back with the Birds for the 2021 season, even though he reportedly has lost the support of quarterback Carson Wentz and other players with their overall 4-11-1 record.
The loss of offensive coordinator Frank Reich to Indianapolis as their head coach had a lot to do with Wentz’s fall from stardom.
Where do the Jets fit in?
There also was a report Sunday morning that a team inquired about trading for Pederson.
Hmm..here’s the picture.
Jets GM Joe Douglas and Pederson both joined the Eagles in 2016. Pederson was the head coach and Douglas was the vice president for player personnel.
Over the past four years, both have maintained a tight bond between them. Douglas wouldn’t agonize over choosing him to coach the Jets.
In Philadelphia, Pederson has a folk hero status as well as a statue together with quarterback Nick Foles for their role in leading the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title in 2018 as well as for their now legendary “Philly Special” play.
Pederson has an overall 46-39-1 record with the Eagles. He is regarded as an offensive mind and is an Andy Reid disciple as an ex-offensive coordinator and player.
He certainly has the resume, but he isn’t worth trading the second pick in the draft and then some.
You may not even trade the No. 2 pick for Bill Belichick.
And Pederson may have lost some credibility over his nationally televised Sunday night game gaffe against Washington in which the Eagles should have either taken to overtime or won.
The ripple effect from Pederson’s choice to take rookie standout quarterback Jalen Hurts out of their game in their season final to give four-year backup Zach Sudfeld some playing time at a critical juncture of the game has created a giant wave.
Sudfeld showed why he hasn’t gained any playing time,as he stumbled through a few series that arguably cost the Eagles a winnable game, and the Giants a division crown.
It was the ultimate head scratcher why Pederson — a reputed risk taker — would pull back the reins on Hurts, who wasn’t injured and had momentum on his side.
The popular theory had Lurie directing Pederson to tank the game to allow the Eagles to move up from the ninth to the sixth pick in April’s draft, which they now own. By the way, the last time the Eagles had a top-1o pick, they drafted Wentz in 2016.
Current players voiced their displeasure after the game and throughout the week, and it escalated to former players and brass into a full, grinding flame.
Without Reich, Pederson failed to fill the void. Before this season, Pederson had a pair of 9-7 seasons with early playoff exits. He also has had a shaky situation with GM Howie Roseman that hasn’t always provided him with a full cupboard of offensive weapons.
Taking away the major smudge from his resume, Pederson has proven that he can win. He may need a change of scenery that is an approximate two-hour ride up the turnpike.
Jets owner Christopher Johnson stated that he would prefer a former head coach as the new Jets’ general and has cast a huge, side net for the search. Former Bengals’ boss Marvin Lewis has drawn the most attention.
With Douglas’ familiarity, the answer could be closer than you think.
Stay tuned.
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