Count A.J. Brown among those who like the hire of Kevin Patullo to be the Eagles new offensive coordinator. The receiver was on NFL Network’s Insider on Thursday and threw his support behind the new OC, who is now the old passing game coordinator.
"For our fans, they need to understand everything has to change," Brown said. "I know we just won, but it has to change. We have to get better, and we have to do things different. But I truly feel like it's a great hire; he already has been involved in almost everything.”
Brown said the play calling wasn’t handled strictly by former OC Kellen Moore, who left last week to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. He said it was a collaboration involving head coach Nick Sirianni and Patullo, who served four seasons as the passing game coordinator.
“It's a great hire and he's already familiar with us,” said Brown. “We have a great relationship, and he knows what we need to work on because he's been there, and he's been there for a while, and like I said, he's already been a part of all the situations and the conversations and everything. So, I think it's a great hire.”
That said, Brown added that the Eagles offense cannot grow stagnant.
"It has to change; it has to evolve," he said. “I don't know what wrinkles would look like, but we have to find ways to get better, you know? It's a lot of fame out there on us - we just won - and guys are gonna be coming at us. We're not the hunting anymore, we're the hunted, and we have to get better.”
The Eagles evolved into a running team last year behind a powerful offensive line and the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.
There’s little doubt that Brown’s evolution would include more passing. Despite missing four games this season, the receiver still had 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns. Running mate DeVonta Smith also missed four games and ended with 68 catches for a career-low 833 yards and eight TDs.
Brown may have a point. The Chiefs geared up to stop Barkley in Super Bowl LIX and did a good job of that, holding him to one of his worst games of the year with 57 yards and a 2.3 yards per carry average. KC had the personnel to do that, but other teams will certainly try to duplicate their model.
Patullo has to be ready to adjust, and Brown seems confident he will.
