Eagles Camp Storyline No. 3: Nick Sirianni's 30,000-Foot View; Will It Work?

The Eagles coach will have a broader view of the team after removing himself from the full-time, day-to-day operations of the offense. What will it look like?

Jan 15, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reacts on the sideline during the second half of a 2024 NFC wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA – The countdown to Eagles training camp is on, with the report date coming on Tuesday. Head coach Nick Sirianni will kick things off with a press conference at 9:30 a.m. before practice begins at 10 a.m.

As always, there will be storylines as camp winds through the rest of the month and into August. So, between now and then, 10 will be revealed, one per day, beginning with No. 10 and working up to the top storyline.

No. 3: The 30,000-foot view…(Whatever will Nick Sirianni do?)

Jalen Hurts seemingly had no clue about this new role the Eagles coach carved for himself this offseason when the quarterback was asked about it on the final day of minicamp. So, what will that role look like? We are about to find out when camp opens this week.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts / John McMullen/Eagles SI

The expectation is Sirianni will be all over the practice fields, bouncing from offensive and defensive groups to special team units. That probably won’t be too much different than previous seasons, but the difference will be behind the scenes, where fans and media aren’t allowed to watch.

He is removing himself from the undivided attention he paid to the quarterback and the offense last year. Last year, he was involved in all aspects of the offense and, even though, the duties of play-calling fell to departed offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Sirianni's presence was ubiquitous.

Part of that could be his relationship with Hurts, especially with some recent reporting from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini that indicated there was a disconnect between Sirianni and his QB last year, writing: “Nick, we’ve seen, is a very emotional guy. Jalen is a very private guy.

"They are different human beings, which is fine. You don’t all have to be the same, but you do have to be on the same page when it comes to what you want to do on offense.”

That relationship will need monitored during camp and beyond.

Sirianni painted it this way:

“I truly believe, like me being in that defensive end room is critical,” he said. “Me being able to go in the offensive line room is critical. Me being able to go in the defensive room is critical. Me being able to step out of all rooms together and have a conversation with a player who needs me at that certain time to be his head coach is critical and so you do what you need to do.

“You do what’s best for the team because you love the team not because you love your selfish reasons of what you want. And I really feel good about that.”

Unlike Hurts, receiver DeVonta Smith thinks Sirianni's new role will benefit the team.

“It gives him time to do a lot more, to see a lot more, and I think that’s a good thing," said Smith. "When the head man has the power to put his hands on everything, to see everything, it makes it easier on himself, it makes it easier on us, because sometimes what we may see, he may not see because he was focused on something on just one thing so much."

All the answers to how his role will evolve won’t be visible during camp, because we have to see what he does on the sidelines once the games begin, perhaps as soon even as the preseason opener vs. the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 9 and the two exhibitions that follow – against the Patriots on Aug. 15 and the Vikings on Aug. 24.

More NFL: Eagles Camp Storyline No. 4: Linebacker Shuffle, Who Wins Which Job?