Another theory about Eagles' d-coordinator job fades

SCRATCH ANOTHER theory from the Chip Kelly defensive coordinator hiring process sweepstakes.

This time, it's the thought that Kelly was just waiting for national signing day to arrive, so he could announce the hiring of a college coordinator who didn't want to leave his current program in the lurch at a crucial time. (One who presumably wouldn't mind leaving signees in the lurch.) Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has been mentioned most prominently.

The Eagles might end up hiring Grantham, but in speaking with reporters Wednesday in Athens, Ga., Grantham said he hasn't gotten to the point with any NFL team where "I feel like I have to contractually say something," Macon.com reported. Translation: Grantham's contract stipulates he has to inform athletic director Greg McGarity if he is having substantive discussions about another job.

So we can be pretty sure the Eagles haven't already hired Grantham and were waiting to announce it, just as we can now be pretty sure they weren't waiting for the Super Bowl to be over so they could hire one of the 49ers or Ravens assistants, which was the previous Kelly hiring theory.

The Saints have said they intend to interview Grantham Thursday for their d-coordinator opening. The Eagles, as seems to be their style under new coach Chip Kelly, haven't said anything, but various reports have indicated Grantham might be in their sights as well.

A fan at a signing-day event asked Grantham if he will be at Georgia 2 or 3 years from now.

"You know what? I can tell you this, that my family loves it here. I like it here a lot, and this is a very special place, and I think today needs to be focused on the players we've got here right now . . . " Grantham said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"No comment" would have conveyed exactly the same amount of useful information.

Later, talking with reporters, Grantham said he "fully expects" to be at Georgia this coming season, but he didn't say he wouldn't interview with the Saints or Eagles.

"Right not I'm the defensive coordinator at Georgia and I'm certainly looking forward to coaching these guys," Grantham said, according to Macon.com. "You know what, I get a lot of inquiries all the time. And there's no way I'm gonna comment on any particular one, because if I did, there's no way I could do my job."

(In other words, the Georgia defensive coordinator is so deluged with NFL interest, if he said, "Hey, I'm gonna interview with team X" every time that came up, he would have no time for coaching. Riiiggght.)

Grantham did release a statement last year denying interest in NFL jobs, reporters pointed out Wednesday.

"Yeah, and you know what, after thinking about it, I realized that was a mistake," Grantham said. "Because it seems that things keep popping up from time to time, so I think the best thing is to let things be as they are and move on."

(Raise your hand out there if you thought that last statement made any sense whatsoever.)

Asked what he told recruits, Grantham said he told them he and his family love the school, but "as coaches, if things come up, you're always gonna say, 'Hey, what's best for your family?' and see what happens."

Georgia coach Mark Richt echoed Grantham's contention that this was not an appropriate time to discuss Grantham's future.

Meanwhile, the Saints acknowledged they contacted the 49ers for permission to talk to secondary coach Ed Donatell, and were denied permission, since Donatell is under contract. Teams have to let assistants leave to become head coaches, don't have to let them leave to become coordinators. Donatell was heavily mentioned in early speculation about the Eagles' defensive coordinator position, not so much lately.

Both the 49ers and Ravens have been known to block assistants from leaving, which is a double-edged sword - it helps you keep the strong staff you built, but if you block a candidate more than occasionally, ambitious coaches are not going to want to work for you.

The Eagles released their most disastrous 2012 free-agent signee, offensive tackle Demetress Bell, and signed a defensive lineman/linebacker from the CFL named Chris McCoy.

McCoy, 6-3, 261, a 2010 Dolphins draftee, seems like a 3-4 linbebacker kind of guy.

The decision that Bell could take up the slack when left tackle Jason Peters tore his Achilles' last spring might have been the first domino to fall, leading to the Eagles' 4-12 season. Bell was a horrible fit for offensive line coach Howard Mudd's blocking scheme. He would have made $9.5 million this season, $8.5 of it due next month.

In Michael Vick non-news, Wednesday was the day $3 million of the quarterback's 2013 salary became guaranteed. But as was reported a few weeks ago, here and everywhere else, that doesn't mean the Eagles will give Vick $3 million. Wherever he goes, whether he's traded or released by the Eagles, his new team pays his contract. If Vick were to somehow sign a renegotiated deal elsewhere for less than $3 million this season, the Eagles would have to pay the difference between the new deal and $3 million. If he didn't sign anywhere at all, they'd owe him $3 million. But Vick is going to play somewhere for at least $3 million, so the whole Wednesday thing is moot.

I still say people who believe a 33-year-old, turnover-prone, injury-prone QB is a good fit for Chip Kelly's offense because he can still run a little are delusional, but I really don't know what Kelly is thinking. If he wants to take a while to review film and ponder the Vick possibilities, that's fine with me. There's no rush, in February. Maybe the Eagles can get a conditional draft pick for him, or something.