Eagles reportedly will interview Adam Gase again

Whether Adam Gase is the Eagles' No. 1 target or not, he was the first outside candidate to interview for the team's head coaching vacancy and he is likely scheduled to be the first to meet with Eagles brass a second time.

Gase, who met with team leaders on Tuesday, will interview with the Eagles again this weekend, according to an NFL Network report.

The Eagles didn't confirm the follow-up interview. But there is obvious interest. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, vice president of football operations Howie Roseman and team president Don Smolenski interviewed Gase for approximately eight hours on Tuesday, sources familiar with the meeting said.

But the Bears assistant isn't the only offensive coordinator on the Eagles' radar. The New York Giants' Ben McAdoo will interview with the team on Thursday, an NFL source said. The 38-year-old McAdoo had already reportedly met with the Giants for their opening.

Gase, 37, reportedly has interviews set up with the Giants, Browns and Dolphins over the next several days.

There was one less team in need of a coach after the Saints announced that Sean Payton was returning. The New Orleans coach, who has two years left on his contract, was the subject of the trade rumors. The 49ers and Titans are also conducting searches.

The Eagles have only confirmed three interviews thus far. They met with in-house candidates Pat Shurmur and Duce Staley before sitting down with Gase. There was an ESPN report that the Eagles were going to interview Jaguars assistant Doug Marrone, but league sources said that currently wasn't the case.

The Eagles have also been linked to Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, but the team hasn't yet confirmed those interviews. There have also been reports that they have interest in Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.

Pederson, the former Eagles quarterback and quarterbacks coach, worked under Andy Reid in both roles and currently in Kansas City. He has yet to helm an offense, however. Reid returned to play calling when he took the Chiefs job.

The Eagles can interview Pederson, if granted permission, following the Chiefs' first-round playoff game against the Texans on Saturday.

Gase has been an offensive coordinator for the last three seasons - for two years with the Broncos and then this past season with the Bears. He doesn't come from a traditional football background having not played in college. But he's worked for four NFL teams over the last 15 years.

Roseman, who started out as a salary-cap analyst, took an unconventional route to heading the Eagles' personnel department, as well. The coach-personnel head relationship is an important one in the construction of any team. If Gase and Roseman feel comfortable with one another it could lead to a marriage.

But the Eagles will have competition. The Giants are likely considered the most appealing of the six openings. And the Dolphins and Browns reportedly have narrowed their sights on Gase. Will he make it back to Philly a second time?

Even if he does the Eagles may want to cross off all the names on their list. They have yet to set interviews with Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson - two other prominent names for head coaching vacancies.