Philadelphia Eagles Plan to Keep Juan Castillo as Defensive Coordinator; Add Todd Bowles to Coach Cornerbacks

Published: 30th Jan 12 1:31 pm
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by Bryn Swartz
brynswartz
Howard Smith - US PRESSWIRE

The Philadelphia Eagles will keep lifetime offensive line coach Juan Castillo as their defensive coordinator for a second season, as confirmed by CSNPhilly’s Reuben Frank.

The team has also added former Miami Dolphins assistant head coach/secondary coach Todd Bowles to coach the secondary, specifically the team’s cornerbacks. He will replace Johnnie Lynn, who was fired after the season.

Bowles was the interim coach for the Dolphins at the end of the 2011 season, leading the team to victories in two of the three games to end the year.

For Castillo, he will look to improve an Eagles’ defense that blew five fourth quarter leads in the first nine games of the 2011 season, including four at home. Although the defense finished 10th in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed, the season was a colossal disappointment.

Cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, both former Pro Bowls, played as if the team still had Dimitri Patterson and Ellis Hobbs on the roster. Rookie linebacker Casey Matthews was thrust into the starting lineup way too soon. The safety play was brutal. The wide-nine picked up sacks but also allowed hundreds of rushing yards early in the season, including a 47-yard touchdown scamper by Rams running back Steven Jackson on the first play of the season.

Although the Eagles allowed just 46 points in the final four games of the season, they did so facing Matt Moore, Mark Sanchez, Stephen McGee, and Rex Grossman at quarterback. All four are far from being even an average NFL quarterback.

Castillo will tie an all-time Eagles record next season by coaching in his 18th season with the Eagles. He spent 13 of those seasons as the team’s offensive line coach and the first 16 as an offensive coach. His switch to defense in 2011 was as unprecedented a move as I’ve ever seen in my 22 years watching football.

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