Defensive Line

NEW ORLEANS - Super Bowl week has come and gone and the Eagles still haven't hired a defensive coordinator. At least, there haven't been any reports that new coach Chip Kelly has found a leader for his defense. The delay had some observers speculating that the Eagles were waiting for Super Bowl XLVII to end before they could tab one of the Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers assistants as defensive coordinator. The Eagles are interested in the Ravens' Ted Monachino, according to NFL sources, but Baltimore could always block the up-and-coming linebackers coach from leaving.

IT BEGAN with the acquisition of Terrell Owens. It continued with the drafting and re-signing of receiver DeSean Jackson, the signing of cornerback Asante Samuel, the disloyalty to safety Brian Dawkins, the hiring of Jim Washburn. After spending his first 5 years building a foundation of players and coaches of concrete character and solid talent, Eagles coach and football operations czar Andy Reid allowed himself to hire a handful of low-character, high-output prima donnas. Argue the involvement of former vice president Joe Banner, owner Jeffrey Lurie and current general manager Howie Roseman all you like: Nothing happens unless Reid signs off on it. Reid sought out a handful of narcissists of the worst possible sort: Smart enough to stay out of jail and out of the papers; but narcissists who ultimately could not resist the pull of their selfishness.

A day later, the reverberations from Jason Babin's release were still being felt at the NovaCare Complex, but perhaps nowhere as great as they were in the office of Jim Washburn. The defensive line coach was not pleased when the Eagles cut the veteran defensive end Tuesday, sources close to Washburn said Wednesday. Washburn was upset, according to one source, because he believed that Babin was a scapegoat for the deficiencies on the defense, especially on the line. The Eagles defense has gone into a tailspin since Todd Bowles replaced Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Eagles traded linebackers Moise Fokou and Greg Lloyd to the Colts for cornerback Kevin Thomas and a 2013 conditional seventh-round draft pick. Thomas was drafted in the third round in 2010 by Indianapolis. He missed all of 2010 with a knee injury. He started five of nine games he played for the Colts last season, recording 33 tackles and defending three passes. There were reports out of Indianapolis during the spring that the 6-foot, 192-pound Thomas could challenge for a starting spot in 2012.

With less than three weeks left until the NFL draft, there are 10 players the Eagles could conceivably select with the No. 4 overall pick, assuming they don't trade down. Here they are, ranked according to how likely they are to be Chip Kelly's first selection as coach, taking into account their availability when the Eagles pick. 1. Eric Fisher, tackle, Central Michigan. Momentum has gathered behind the idea that Fisher is the No. 1 tackle in the draft. Mike Mayock of NFL Network recently slotted him ahead of Luke Joeckel, who was once viewed as a lock to be the first offensive lineman off the board.

THE EAGLES announced the schedule Tuesday for their new-look training camp at Lehigh. Unlike past years, the walkthrough practice will be in the morning with the main practice in the afternoon to better simulate the way the Eagles operate in the regular season. Rookies and selected veterans report to training camp on July 22, and will practice for the first time the following day. The remainder of the team reports on July 25 with the first full practice the following day. That practice is closed to the public.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Head coach Bill O'Brien announced Friday that he has hired Miami of Ohio's Charlie Fisher as Penn State's quarterbacks coach. He fills the final assistant coaching spot on the staff. Fisher is leaving Miami after one season serving as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks and wide receivers coach. He previously spent nine seasons at Vanderbilt, coaching the passing game and the wide receivers. "I've know him for a long time. He's a bright guy, a sharp guy," O'Brien said.

THE EAGLES have won seven of the last eight against the Giants, including that playoff game in January 2009 when Donovan McNabb picked up the phone on the Giants' sideline, which Justin Tuck said this week the Giants are still miffed about. I don't think I know what either of these teams is yet. In a contest between the Week 1 Giants, who lost listlessly to the Cowboys, and the Week 2 Eagles, who beat the Ravens, I would take the Week 2 Eagles. But the Week 3 Giants annihilated Carolina, and you know what the Week 3 Eagles did. It's often a mistake in the NFL to base your pick on what happened last week.