Sean Desai did not enjoy a successful stint as defensive coordinator of the Eagles in 2023. He appears to have his next NFL gig lined up, though. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the veteran staffer is set to join the Rams in a senior defensive role.
Desai joined Philadelphia last offseason to replace Jonathan Gannon as defensive coordinator. Expectations were high for the reigning NFC champions, and they started the campaign with a 10-1 mark. However, things took a dramatic turn for the worse after that, and the team sputtered before being eliminated in the wild-card round. Desai’s unit was a key factor in the late-season struggles, and his role with the organization shifted along the way.
The Eagles stripped Desai of play-calling duties in December, handing over the position of de facto DC to Matt Patricia. In a move that came as little surprise, the former was fired after the campaign ended. Patricia’s contract is also up, so he will likely work elsewhere in 2024. After pursuing him last offseason, the Eagles brought Vic Fangio to lead their defense forward.
From 2021-23, Raheem Morris served as the Rams’ DC, drawing praise. He parlayed his coordinator tenure into the Falcons’ head coaching gig last month, allowing him to return to Atlanta. Morris’s departure created a notable vacancy on Sean McVay‘s staff, which was filled internally by the promotion of Chris Shula. Desai (as defensive coordinator with the Bears in 2021 and an associate head coach of the Seahawks before his Eagles stint) will offer considerable experience in Los Angeles.
The 40-year-old had interviews lined up with both the Falcons and Bills for their defensive coordinator positions, but to little surprise, he will not work in a DC capacity in 2024. Desai will use the coming campaign as a transition year to rebound from an underwhelming showing in Philadelphia. The Rams posted middling numbers in several defensive categories last year, and he could help his stock by playing a part in improvement in 2024.
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