The 2011 coaching staff for the Eagles looks all but complete after the Eagles announced several additions and changes to the staff Tuesday.
Johnnie Lynn, a veteran coach in the secondary and former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, has been hired as the secondary/cornerbacks coach. He will team with Mike Zordich in the secondary, who was promoted Monday to secondary/safeties coach.
Lynn joins the Eagles after a five-year stint in San Francisco, working as the 49ers secondary coach. In 2009 and 2010, Lynn also held the title of special assistant to the head coach. From 1997-2003, Lynn worked as an assistant coach with the NY Giants, including the 2002 and 2003 seasons as their defensive coordinator. Lynn also served as the secondary coach of the Baltimore Ravens (2004-05), the 49ers (1996), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994-95). While with the Ravens in 2004, safety Ed Reed earned NFL Defensive player of the year honors. Lynn began his coaching career in a number of capacities at the University of Arizona from 1987-93. The 54-year-old Lynn was a 4th round draft pick of the New York Jets in 1979 from UCLA and played seven seasons for the Jets, recording 17 interceptions in 97 career games.
Also on the defensive side of the ball, Bobby April, Jr. has been named the defensive quality control coach, a position filled last season by Zordich. April, the son of Eagles special teams coordinator Bobby April, spent the 2010 season as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Nicholls State. From 2007-09, the 28-year-old April worked at Portland State as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach. April served as a graduate assistant coach at Tulane from 2005-06. A native of Mandeville, LA, April graduated with his bachelor's degree in 2005 from Louisiana-Lafayette.
On offense, David Culley has been promoted to senior offensive assistant/wide receivers coach and will continue to play a large part in the offensive gameplan. Culley's position group has been among the league's best in recent years as they feature the young starting duo of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Jackson followed up a record-setting rookie campaign in 2008 with two Pro Bowl campaigns in 2009 and 2010. Maclin, meanwhile, caught more passes (126) in his first two seasons as an Eagle than any other player besides TE Keith Jackson (144).
James Urban, the quarterbacks coach since 2009, has been promoted to assistant offensive coordinator. It is the next step for Urban, who will play a larger role with the rest of the offensive positions. Replacing Urban as quarterbacks coach is Doug Pederson, who had been the offensive quality control coach.
Finally, Duce Staley has been named special teams quality control coach, a role previously filled by Jeff Nixon. In addition to helping out April with all aspects of special teams, Staley will also continue to play a large role with the running backs.
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 12:39 p.m., February 8
