COMBINE NOTEBOOK: Nick Sirianni's Mentor

Also, more on Kyler Murray and the New York Giants cap problem, plus quote of the day

INDIANAPOLIS - One of the concerns about Nick Sirianni when he began to assemble a coaching staff last January was its youth.

Who would he lean on for counsel when the going got tough? Who would be his ear of experience?

Turns out, one of those mentors was Frank Reich.

The Colts coach said on Tuesday that he and his former offensive coordinator texted each other once a week and spoke on the phone probably once a month.

“I thought Nick did a phenomenal job, not a surprise,” said Reich on Tuesday, the first day of the NFL Scouting Combine. “Great coach, great ability, great offensive mind, great ability to connect with players, but still have a connection and belief about what’s right and what’s wrong and how you’re going to win. 

"I thought he did a great job. It’s a testament that he got off to a slow start and being able to keep things under control and get it turned around.”

Reich’s coaching tree is seemingly growing branches.

A year after Reich lost his OC to the Eagles, he lost his defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to the Chicago Bears who named him their head coach.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman will speak at the podium on Wednesday afternoon. Other coaches and GMs are also slated to speak during the day.

First, though, the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends will take the floor at 8 a.m.

ADDRESSING MURRAY

Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury fielded plenty of questions about his quarterback, Kyler Murray.

Specifically, the manifesto made public by Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, just a day before the combine began. Burkhardt said that Murray wants to remain in Arizona but also wants the Cardinals to show their commitment by extending his contract into one with plenty of zeroes attached.

“We know it’s a business and he’s doing his job,” said Kingsbury about the statement Burkhardt released. “I love Kyler, I love Erik, and that’s not going to change.

“I think all of our long-term goal here is to have Kyler be our quarterback. He understands that. He understands my view of him and how I feel about him. Once again, I’m going to refer it back to the business side of things. That’s not something I deal with, but it’s all part of the business right now and things that we’ll continue to work through.”

Murray has some in Philadelphia hoping the Cardinals trade him, specifically to the Eagles.

It’s doubtful that happens.

Kingsbury said that he was taken by surprise by Burkhardt’s letter.

“I didn’t know (the statement) was coming,” he said. “As far concern for the offseason, Kyler hasn’t had an offseason yet really because of the back-to-back COVID years and the CBA. 

"We’d love to get him there. I think that can be crucial for our entire team, to actually have the offense together, grow together and work on football things, but we haven’t had that yet. If it doesn’t work out, we’ve been through it before.”

GIANT CAP TROUBLE

One of the Eagles’ NFC East rivals, the New York Giants, has some work to do to get under the salary cap. New GM Joe Schoen has to trim $12 million just to reach the cap, never mind cut deeper to go beneath it to sign free agents or even his draft picks.

On Tuesday, Schoen said some tough decisions will need to be made.

One may be trading Saquon Barkley, something he did not rule out.

"We're still working through that, but I'm open to anything. Like whether it's trading player for player. I'll listen to anybody," said Schoen. "I'm not going to say we're open for business on our entire roster, but if anybody is going to call and they're interested in any of our players, I'll certainly listen.

"We're in a situation where unfortunately we have to get under the salary cap and we're not in very good salary cap health. I'm not going to say yes to every deal, but I'm definitely going to listen and be open to situations that are best for the New York Giants."

Barkley has missed 21 of the team’s last 49 games with injury and is due $7.2M in 2022, which is the final year of his contract.

Cornerbacks James Bradberry and Adoree Jackson, along with linebacker Blake Martinez, are also considered candidates to be traded or have their contracts restructured.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I like watching all of them. I sit up there and eat potato chips and watch them all.” – KC Coach Andy Reid when asked what his favorite drill to watch was during the combine.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.