Eagles finalize coaching staff

The Eagles finalized their 2011 coaching staff Tuesdy by naming Johnnie Lynn secondary/cornerbacks coach, David Culley senior offensive assistant/wide receivers, James Urban assistant offensive coordinator, Doug Pederson quarterbacks coach, Duce Staley special teams quality control coach, and Bobby April, Jr. defensive quality control 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.

Culley, the Eagles wide receivers coach since 1999, will continue to play a vital role in assisting offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and the remainder of the offensive staff in formulating all aspects of the offensive game plan on a weekly basis. 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).

Urban spent the past two seasons as the Eagles quarterbacks coach and played a vital role in the rebirth of Michael Vick, who earned Comeback player of the year honors in 2010 as well as a berth on the NFC Pro Bowl squad. In 2009, he successfully integrated three quarterbacks into the Eagles offensive scheme – Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Vick. Urban previously worked as the Eagles offensive quality control coach (2007-08) and assistant to the head coach (2004-06). A native of Mechanicsburg, PA, he was a wide receiver and kick returner for Washington and Lee University in Virginia. He worked on the collegiate levels at Clarion and Pennsylvania.

Pederson, a former Eagles quarterback in 1999, worked as the team’s offensive quality control coach from 2009-10. Prior to the joining the Eagles, Pederson spent the previous four years as head coach and assistant athletic director of Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, LA. A 12-year NFL veteran, Pederson originally signed as a rookie free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 1991 and spent time with the Dolphins (1993-94), Green Bay (1995-98, 2001-04), Philadelphia (1999), and Cleveland (2000). Pederson was a three-sport star in football, baseball and basketball at Ferndale (WA) High School before attending Northeast Louisiana as a quarterback.

Staley, who worked as a coaching intern with the Eagles in 2010, will assist Bobby April in all aspects of special teams, while assisting Ted Williams with the running backs position group. A 10-year NFL running back for the Eagles (1997-2003) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-06), Staley gained 5,785 yards during his career, including  4,807 with the Eagles (4th most in team history).

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.

Meanwhile, the team also claimed CB Isaiah Trufant off waivers from the NY Jets.Trufant (5-8, 170) was signed to the Jets practice squad on 12/8/10 and promoted to the active roster on 12/30. He played in one game with the Jets and registered two special teams tackles, but was placed on waivers on 1/22/11.

Prior to his time with the Jets, Trufant was a member of the UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010 after leading the league with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, adding 30 tackles and one sack. In 2009 he recorded 13 tackles and four passes defensed with the Locomotives during the regular season and added two tackles in their 2009 UFL championship game victory over Florida. He also played in the Arena Football League with the Spokane Shock in 2006, the Kansas City Brigade in 2007 and the Arizona Rattlers from 2007-09.

The 28-year-old Trufant is a native of Tacoma, WA, and played collegiately at Eastern Washington where he was a first-team All-Big Sky Conference performer, after racking up 11 career interceptions. He is the brother of Seahawks CB Marcus Trufant.