Dennard Wilson, Eagles agree to mutually part ways: report
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles and defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson have mutually parted ways after hiring Sean Desai as the team's defensive coordinator, according to a report from NFL Network.
Wilson was a finalist for the defensive coordinator job that went to Desai.
Wilson was the favorite in-house option to replace Jonathan Gannon, who became the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals last month.
Wilson had plenty of support to become the team's defensive coordinator from several Eagles players, including Darius Slay, James Bradberry, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps.
Wilson, 40, also reportedly interviewed for the Cleveland Browns' defensive coordinator opening before it went to Jim Schwartz, who won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles in the same role.
Wilson joined the Eagles in 2021 when Nick Sirianni became the team's head coach as the defensive backs coach. Wilson added the title of defensive passing game coordinator during the 2022 offseason.
With Wilson as the defensive passing game coordinator, the Eagles ranked No. 1 in the league in passing defense and Bradberry earned second-team All-Pro honors.
It's unclear where Wilson will land, but he should have plenty of suitors around the league. Before joining the Eagles, Wilson was passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the New York Jets, the defensive backs coach with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and a pro scout with the Chicago Bears.
He was also a defensive quality control coach with the Rams, a graduate assistant with the University of Maryland and coached at DeMatha High School in Maryland.
Along with Wilson and Gannon leaving, the Eagles also lost linebackers coach Nick Ralis, who went to Arizona to become the team's defensive coordinator.
According to a report from the Boston Herald, longtime New England Patriots assistant and former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia could land the linebackers coaching job with the Eagles.
Desai, who was the associate head coach and defensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks, will be tasked with running an Eagles defense that will look a lot different than the one that went to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season.
