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Eagles Notebook: Unofficially working for Eagles

MOBILE, Ala. - The Eagles have made no announcements about Chip Kelly's staff, they say, because Kelly doesn't want to say anything until the staff is complete. And that apparently will be after the Super Bowl, assuming 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell really is going to be the defensive coordinator.

Pat Shurmur. (Don Wright/AP)
Pat Shurmur. (Don Wright/AP)Read more

MOBILE, Ala. - The Eagles have made no announcements about Chip Kelly's staff, they say, because Kelly doesn't want to say anything until the staff is complete. And that apparently will be after the Super Bowl, assuming 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell really is going to be the defensive coordinator.

Bearing in mind that nothing is official, here are names and backgrounds that have been reported. Some of these coaches were in Mobile at Senior Bowl practice, wearing Eagles credentials and obviously working with Kelly and general manager Howie Roseman.

Offense: The coordinator apparently is Pat Shurmur, the former Browns head coach, Rams offensive coordinator and Eagles quarterbacks coach. We couldn't ask him what his hiring means for the sort of offense the Birds will run because officially, Shurmur wasn't working for the Eagles.

It looks as if the offensive staff will include former Chiefs and Bills assistant Bob Bicknell, who has coached tight ends and offensive line. We know former Andy Reid running backs coach Ted Williams is staying and will return to tight-ends coaching, which he did under Ray Rhodes, so presumably, Bicknell is an offensive line coach here.

Duce Staley, who assisted Williams and special-teams coordinator Bobby April in 2012, will now coach the Eagles' running backs.

Mike Dawson, the Boston College special-teams coach last season, is said to be joining the Eagles as an offensive quality control assistant.

Defense: Former Rams Pro Bowl corner Todd Lyght, who joined Kelly's Oregon staff 2 years ago, figures into the mix somewhere, as does former Ducks safety Matthew Harper. Ditto Josh Gibson, who was assistant director of operations at Oregon, meaning he was Kelly's assistant.

If you believe Wikipedia, Rick Minter is the Eagles' new linebackers coach. Minter was formerly defensive coordinator at Kentucky.

On hand and unofficially working in Mobile was new defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro, who came with Kelly from Oregon.

Special Teams: Reports indicate Dave Fipp, who was the special-teams assistant in Miami last season, will run Kelly's special teams.