Allen headed to Broncos, not Birds

MOBILE, Ala. - The Eagles are going to hire a defensive coordinator at some point, the Daily News has learned. It just isn't going to be anybody who has been confirmed as a candidate to this point.

The Denver Broncos announced late last night that they have hired Saints secondary coach Dennis Allen as their coordinator, making him the team's sixth coordinator in 6 years. This wasn't a big surprise, since earlier in the day New Orleans Times-Picayune reporters emerged from a session with coach Sean Payton feeling the Saints were preparing to lose Allen either to the Eagles or the Broncos, and then, yesterday evening, a source close to the situation told the Daily News the Eagles were not on the verge of making a hire.

Allen, 38, interviewed in Philadelphia with the Eagles on Sunday, after previously talking to the Broncos earlier in the weekend. He is the only candidate formally interviewed to be Sean McDermott's successor, as far as we know, anyway.

As much of the league descended on Mobile yesterday for the annual Senior Bowl practices, speculation held that the pace of the Eagles' coordinator search surely has to do with wanting to talk to someone still involved in the playoffs. There were no reports of the Eagles' seeking permission to talk to Bears or Jets assistants yesterday. Before the weekend, a source had said the team wanted to talk to someone whose team was still playing, so it seems likely that person remains involved and won't be available to talk until after the Super Bowl.

Allen's reported hiring by Denver makes it seem even more likely the Eagles are waiting to talk to a Super Bowl assistant, such as Green Bay defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, or one of the Packers' linebackers coaches - Winston Moss or Kevin Greene. Or Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler, or their defensive backs coach, Ray Horton.

Of course, it could be the Eagles are still in the process of working out permission to talk to a Jets or Bears assistant.

Former Cardinals defensive coordinator Bill Davis, who a source said called the Eagles about their opening early in the process, yesterday became an assistant to new Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. The other known candidate, Jim Mora, was not at the top of the Eagles' list, a source has said, and withdrew his name last week.

As Senior Bowl week approached, the assumption was that the Birds would be doing interviews down here, since the whole league was gathering. But that is not the case. General manager Howie Roseman said yesterday that Eagles coach Andy Reid will not be coming to Mobile, and will run the coordinator search from Philadelphia. It isn't clear how many candidates the Birds wish to interview.

"You're asking the wrong guy," Roseman said, when asked about the team's time frame for making a decision.

Roseman participated in the Allen interview but would not provide particulars.

Reid has not spoken publicly since the day after the season ended, except to issue a statement lauding the hiring of defensive-line coach Jim Washburn. Reid has not given any explanation for McDermott's dismissal, or explained his vision for the defense. Senior Bowl week was likely to be the only occasion for Reid to do that before the Super Bowl, assuming he doesn't hire anyone in the interim.

McDermott, now the Panthers' defensive coordinator, also is not coming to Mobile, according to other coaches. One might think the defensive coordinator of the team with the first overall pick would want to be here, but McDermott still has some position coaches to hire, and like Reid, he presumably would rather not be accosted by out-of-work coaches seeking interviews, something that tends to be a big part of the Senior Bowl scene.

One of those out-of-work coaches, former Eagles defensive-line coach Rory Segrest, attended the South team workout at Fairhope Stadium yesterday.

Segrest said he was surprised when Reid told him of his dismissal, on Jan. 13.

"I thought we did some pretty good things this past year," said Segrest, also the Eagles' former special-teams coordinator. He said he has another year left on his contract, so at least he's getting paid.

Segrest, 37, acknowledged that in Washburn, 61, hired away from the Titans, the Eagles "hired a guy that's older, that's had success." But he also said that in Tennessee, Washburn was allowed to turn players loose to chase the quarterback more than he was able to do in the Eagles' scheme.

Offensive-line coach Juan Castillo confirmed that "I'm still an Eagle" after the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Castillo would not be in the mix to become the Browns' offensive coordinator, after all . . . Eagles tackle Jason Peters, kicker David Akers and safety Quintin Mikell all were named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press yesterday . . . Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, a popular projection for the Eagles' 23rd overall selection in the first round, was measured and weighed at 6-7, 315, with impressive 35 1/4-inch long arms . . . West Virginia running back Noel Devine will have a lot to overcome after clocking in at 5-7, 160.

For more Eagles coverage and opinion, read the Daily News' Eagles blog, Eagletarian, at www.eagletarian.com.

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