Five Names Could be in Play to Take over as Eagles Defensive Coordinator

Jonathan Gannon was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to be their next head coach after two years as Nick Sirianni's DC

There are Eagles fans, and you no doubt know someone or are maybe on yourself, who would willingly drive Jonathan Gannon to the airport when he packs up for good and takes over as the next head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

For whatever reason, fans never took to Gannon, to the point where head coach Nick Sirianni had to come to his defense in a vehement manner during one postgame press conference and then again on the WIP Morning Show.

The Eagles had the third-ranked defense this season for a team that won a franchise-record 14 games, but somehow that was not enough.

Of course, the defense didn't make a single stop in the second half of Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, and that is what is still freshest in most minds, no doubt.

His players have his back, though.

“He brings a lot of youth, energy, intelligence and he’s just a great character all around," said Haason Reddick, who had 19.5 sacks in 20 games this season, after the Super Bowl. "Getting to know Gannon this year, I told him I appreciate him, I love him because he lets his players be who they are at the end of the day and if decides to leave, whoever’s getting him I think they have a great head coach and someone the players will really take to. 

"So, we’ll see what happens, hopefully, he doesn’t go but that’s for my own selfish reasons I like Gannon. Whatever he decides, I support him he worked hard for it and it’s all love.”

5 NAMES WHO COULD REPLACE GANNON

DC1 - Eagles secondary coach/passing game coordinator Dennard Wilson - Wilson was tabbed by Gannon as his right-hand man and really is the only obvious potential heir apparent inside the NovaCare Complex. 

He's raved about by the veteran leaders in the secondary like Darius Slay and James Bradberry and he's got experience in different defenses if Sirianni wants to expand on the oft-maligned Vic Fangio-inspired scheme that goes over like a led balloon by some in Philadelphia.

DC2 - Seahawks associate head coach/defensive assistant - Sean Desai - A former Temple player and coach, Desai is a former Vic Fangio student who was recommended by the now-Miami defensive coordinator to Sean Payton in Denver. It's no secret how much the Eagles respect Fangio so don't be surprised if Desai is also getting a weighty recommendation from Fangio if Philadelphia asks for more advice.

DC3 - Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis - Rallis is the assistant Gannon is most likely to lobby to get in Arizona. The Eagles believe Rallis is a future DC. At 29, he might need a few more years of seasoning before taking the next step but he's a rising coaching star.

DC4 - Former Saints co-defensive coordinator/secondary Kris Richard - A former DC in Seattle, Richard also has extensive experience tutoring secondaries around the NFL and perhaps could better tutor the Eagles' zone looks those feature man coverage tendencies.

DC5 - Former Denver linebackers coach John Pagano - The connection here is that Sirianni and Pagano coached with each other for four seasons with the Chargers. Pagano also has DC experience with the Chargers and Raiders, so if Sirianni craves familiarity, Pagano is a name worth remembering.

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen