Eagles players caught off-guard by hiring of Castillo

DALLAS - Asante Samuel voiced perhaps the same words that fans and Eagles watchers across the country uttered when he was informed that Juan Castillo was his new defensive coordinator.

"The offensive line coach?" the Eagles cornerback said.

Samuel was not the only Eagle to be shocked by a move that could rival the decision to sign Michael Vick for an organization often known for its deliberate style.

Center Mike McGlynn was home in Ohio when a reporter told him that Castillo was no longer his position coach and now the leader of the Eagles' defense.

"Really?" McGlynn said. "That's crazy."

Several other players had found out about the move from other sources but could not hide the shock even minutes and hours later.

"That's a curveball," defensive end Darryl Tapp said. "Maybe a knuckler is better."

Tackle Winston Justice didn't know Castillo had moved from offense to defense until Theodore Winsley, a chaplain for the Eagles, called him. Justice is a born-again Christian, and the question was posed: "Did Winsley call because he wanted to pray with you after you lost your position coach?"

"He just wanted to know what I thought about the move because he knew Juan was my coach," Justice said. "But I knew Juan always wanted to be a coordinator. I'm going to be disappointed, but that's me being selfish. You have to be happy for him. He's chasing his dream."

Still, Justice said that he was stunned by the news.

"I think everybody is shocked," linebacker Omar Gaither said. "I didn't know Juan knew defense. I know that he once played linebacker. That's something he makes known almost every day. But he's a smart guy. Maybe it's not as crazy as it sounds."

When Tapp joined the Eagles last off-season, he said the first time he met Castillo, the coach told him he was once a defensive line coach.

"He's always been in my ear, coaching me," said Tapp.

Tapp and his teammates on the defensive line will have a new position coach, though. The Eagles brought in an outside voice when they lured Jim Washburn away from Tennessee two weeks ago. They also replaced Castillo with former Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd, considered one of the best at his craft.

But coach Andy Reid and the organization have mostly promoted from within over the years, and this move will only add fuel to those who criticize the Eagles for being insular.

"Maybe he wanted to keep things in-house," Gaither said. "Andy's been criticized before for promoting within, but I don't think that's going to change the way he operates."

There are still a ton of unanswered questions. The Eagles still have to fill coaching vacancies with the defensive backs and linebackers. Defensive quality-control coach Mike Zordich and assistant linebackers coach Mike Caldwell are candidates, Reid said.

Castillo will assume control of scheme development and play-calling, something he's never done before in the NFL.

"I'm sure they're going to get some guys around him who can help," Gaither said. "As far as calling plays and scheme, that's going to take time."

No one seems to doubt Castillo's credentials when it comes to coaching, though. Reid considers the 51-year-old, who has coached the Eagles' offensive line for the last 13 seasons, one of the brightest minds he's ever worked with. Many players credit Castillo with whatever improvements they've ever made.

"A lot of my success has to with Juan's coaching," McGlynn said. "It'll be interesting going against his defense in training camp. I guess we're going to have to kick his ass a little bit."

McGlynn admitted that he was "disappointed" by the move and that he'll "miss playing for" Castillo. An offense-to-defense coaching switch at this level has pretty much never happened before. Mike Nolan went from receivers coach to defensive coordinator for Baltimore in 2002, but aside from that one season on offense he always coached on the defensive side of the ball.

Any way you look at it, the move was a jaw-dropper.

"It's all good," Samuel said a few moments after he righted himself. "It's all good. But I can't talk about this anymore."

He then hung up.