This seismic Jordan Davis trade opens many doors for the Philadelphia Eagles' future, but it makes one thing clear: if the coaching staff makes big changes, Jim Schwartz might get one of the first calls.
Philly got a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars to send Davis there. It wasn't a trade on anyone's radar, but it probably should have been, since general manager Howie Roseman knows when to strike deals.
Now that the Eagles will have to figure out who to replace Davis with in the future, it is also time to put together other topics for discussion over the next six to eight months. Schwartz is becoming part of that conversation.
Jim Schwartz might be in the conversation if a change occurs with Vic Fangio as Eagles DC
It's no secret that this season hasn't gone well for Vic Fangio's defense overall. They haven't been the same unit Eagles fans have remembered over the last two seasons.
This Eagles defense ranks 24th in the NFL in yards allowed per game, with 353.4 yards per game. They are also ranked 19th in pass defense (227.3 yards per game), 24th in run defense (126.1 yards per game), and 19th in scoring (24.6 points per game).
Every Fangio defense in the last two years has finished the season at least in the top 13 in every category. The 2026 campaign has been very different, with a unit prone to allowing big plays in the passing game and a front seven that can't consistently pressure the quarterback or stop the run.
Before the Week 9 loss to the New York Giants, the Eagles' defense only had 10 sacks and allowed at least 100 rushing yards in every game. That changed in the game where Philly allowed a season-best 243 total yards, 80 of them rushing, 20 pressures, nine quarterback hits, and six sacks.
Fangio waited all season for that kind of performance from his unit, but it might have come too late. The Eagles are 2-7, and the potential fire sale began when they traded Davis to Jacksonville.
Now there is a real conversation about Fangio's future in Philly and whether this will be his last. Although he denied it in the offseason, reports said Fangio nearly retired from coaching, so that could become reality this offseason.
If Fangio does indeed retire, the Eagles will need to make a dramatic change at defensive coordinator. Schwartz feels like the logical choice to return to Philly and reclaim his old job. The Davis trade might already be setting that possibility up.
How Jordan Davis signals that Jim Schwartz could be Eagles' future defensive coordinator
Schwartz had a ton of success with the Eagles as defensive coordinator from 2016 through 2020 on Doug Pederson's staff. That single hiring helped transform a struggling defense into one of the NFL's best.
The best season under Schwartz as defensive coordinator was in 2017, when the team won the Super Bowl. Philly ranked first in run defense and fourth overall as a unit.
After Pederson was fired, Schwartz returned as a defensive coordinator in 2023 with the Cleveland Browns, where he found even more success. In two of the last three years, the Browns were in the top four in total defense despite just one playoff appearance in that span.
If the Eagles have tried to be quiet about their love for Schwartz, they haven't done a good job. Last offseason, when Fangio reportedly considered retiring, the Eagles called Schwartz to see if he would be interested in becoming defensive coordinator. Schwartz is still a free agent, so Philly could still hire him in the offseason if something happens with Fangio.
How does Davis fit into this conversation? Based on Schwartz's 4-3 scheme, Davis would not be a good fit for that defense. Defensive tackles like Jalen Carter and Moro Ojomo, who are strong pass rushers, make more sense for Schwartz than Davis, so while it may seem like a small thing, that could factor into the decision to make the trade.
Much of it has to do with Davis' regression in 2026, but adding the fact that he wouldn't be a scheme fit for Schwartz could also play a role. If Roseman is thinking five steps ahead, that trade would make sense for the defense's future.
Read more: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. made it impossible for Eagles to turn back to Jihaad Campbell
The offseason will be interesting for the Eagles to see how they approach the coaching staff and where Fangio fits into their plans. For now, though, that Schwartz is looking more and more like he could be coming back to Philly sooner than anyone expected. Davis' trade just opened up a bigger can of worms that will be hard to put back in, with Schwartz in the conversation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google