Philadelphia Eagles Should Focus on Continuity, Not Rebuilding, in 2012

Steve Spagnuolo is not coming back to Philadelphia; however this does not necessarily mean that Juan Castillo will keep his job. His return next season is more likely than before, but you can never be sure.

The Eagles’ defensive coordinator for 2012 has not been unveiled and all signs are indicating that the decision has not yet been made. Andy Reid and the team’s management remain silent, while the fans and the media are monitoring the situation.

Tim McManus tweeted that the Eagles were “in the mix” for Spagnulo, but New Orleans was a more attractive option. If Tim is right, then Castillo isn’t Reid’s first option for the upcoming season—that said, the Eagles might still be searching for a new coordinator.

While I don’t have any issues with Spagnuolo, I repeatedly stated that I prefer to see Castillo at the sidelines for one more year. Evaluating his performance once more won’t add anything to what has been already said, but my main point has been continuity.

A couple of months ago, the majority of the Eagles’ fans wanted Reid to be fired. After finishing with an 8-8 record, Reid will be back. The owner of the franchise, Jeff Lurie, called the season “unacceptable” but had no intention to send his long-time head coach packing.

So the next season appears to be Reid’s last chance to bring a Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia. A new defensive coordinator (and more likely, a new philosophy) can help, but can also produce a new set of excuses for another poor or mediocre season.

If the Eagles were looking at the 2012 season as a learning curve or a period of reconstruction, then we would be talking about Reid’s replacement—not Castillo’s. Reid will be back because he is the one that brought the Eagles out of the shadows. After 13 years, this is not enough and Philly is a sports city that craves a trophy more than anything.

Lurie gave Reid one last chance and he has to make the most out of it. Rearranging his coaching staff won’t help him much, since every change needs some time to produce results. Reid needs to invest in people he knows and has already worked with. His team needs continuity, not time to rebuild. Time is a luxury—the Eagles and their fans can’t afford such a luxury anymore.