After more than a decade under one monarch, change is taking place for the Philadelphia Eagles. Andy Reid is gone, and with his departure change has begun. New head coach Chip Kelly has ushered in a new era, and altered the identity of a franchise. Gone is the 4-3 defense employed by the late Jim Johnson, and gone are the 60-40 pass to run ratios that drove Eagles fans into states of delirium for more than a decade. However, the first step in creating a new identity for the Philadelphia Eagles has yet to be taken.
Three quarterbacks vie for the center of attention on a team bouncing back from it’s worst season in over a decade. Michael Vick Nick Foles and Matt Barkley will compete for the most coveted job in Eagle green. Each gunslinger brings his own specific talents to the club, and Coach Kelly will have a tough time deciding who to go with. Vick is a seasoned veteran with great scrambling ability and a strong throwing arm; yet questions surround his durability and accuracy. Foles is an inexperienced second year pocket passer who struggled at times in 2012 behind a sub-par offensive line. Barkley is the first quarterback drafted by the Kelly regime, and may have the best accuracy of the three.
The most common misconception about Chip Kelly’s offense is that is requires a running quarterback. This is simply untrue. The New England Patriots ran the most face paced offense in the NFL a season ago; Tom Brady recorded the slowest 40-yard dash time in the history of the NFL combine. Simply stated, any of the three quarterbacks could be a fit in the Eagles’ offense this season. Based on the fact that no quarterback has been chosen, and that Barkley was drafted by the Kelly regime, I expect the former Trojan to become this year’s Russell Wilson and take over the starting job. What that will mean to the futures of Foles and or Vick remains to be seen.
Contrary to Andy Reid’s old system, the expected Kelly offense will be run-heavy with continuous doses of LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown . Both Mccoy and Brown are shifty runners with breakaway speed that will give defenses nightmares, but will the offensive line problems of a year ago persist? The Eagles sure hope not. Last season, every projected starter missed time with injury. This season, the Eagles offensive line appears to be healthy, and ready to become one of the best rushing offenses in football. Jason Peters Evan Mathis Jason Kelce Todd Herremans and Lane Johnson will fill out the Eagles’ starting five, and on paper are one of the best lines in football. Accompanying them on the line of scrimmage will be tight end Brent Celek and rookie Zach Ertz. Look for the Eagles to employ two tight end sets frequently in the upcoming year, to accentuate the run game. Also in the run-blocking mix will be free agent acquisition James Casey who will spell Celek and Ertz at tight end in addition to spending time at full back.
The largest area of question on the offense, outside of the quarterback competition, will be within the wide receiving corps. Consider Jeremy Maclin the only lock for a starting position. DeSean Jackson is the other expected starter, but his offseason antics have drawn the ire of a new coaching staff. Former Buccaneers wide out Arrelious Benn is a favorite to make the team, as well as Damaris Johnson , and Jason Avant. This would leave Riley Cooper the an odd man out. Cooper was an underperforming product of the Reid system, so his departure would be no surprise. One sleeper to keep you eye on would be Temple graduate Ifeanyi Momah. The former Owl is six foot seven and runs a 4.4s 40-yard dash. Momah missed much of his senior season after suffering an ACL injury, and joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent. Kelly has reiterated that no one's job is safe, so Momah has an outside shot to make the squad.
Billy Davis has taken over the defensive side of the ball, and shifted the formation from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 hybrid. Starting with the front seven, DeMeco Ryans is a lock at one of the middle line-backing spots, as well as Mychal Kendricks . Free agent acquisition Connor Barwin is an expected starter as one of the outside linebackers as well, but it will be very interesting to see who fills the other outside linebacker position. Trent Cole and Brandon Graham appear to be frontrunners for that position, but at this point consider Graham to be the best fit. Cole will likely end up as an interior rusher for the first time in his career; as a defensive end within a 3-4 scheme. Cole will line up next to Isaac Sopoaga at nose tackle, and Fletcher Cox will fill in as the other defensive end. On paper, the Eagles’ projected front seven could be one of the best in football, but everything hinges on the secondary.
As the NFL evolves into a more passing centered league, the cornerback position is becoming more and more important with each passing season. The Eagles signed cornerback Cary Williams to take over as a starter on one side, but the other starting corner position remains up for grabs. Bradley Fletcher is a candidate for the job, as well as Brandon Boykin . Boykin was drafted a year ago out of Georgia and is expected to fill the nickel corner role, but could break the starting lineup with a strong training camp. In his first draft as head coach, Chip Kelly added Jordan Poyer of Oregon State, a talent many believe to be NFL ready. While Poyer likely will not break the starting lineup, he could be an excellent acquisition as far as depth is concerned. In all seriousness, it is very likely that the starters end up as Williams and Fletcher, but the true answer will not be known until after training camp. Fletcher and Williams complement each-other well, and have the most experience of any corners on the roster.
As the life-line of the defense, the safeties are the last guard against the big play, and a life preserver should any coverage be blown. The Eagles have much depth at safety this year, including: fifth round pick Earl Wolff, Patrick Chung Nate Allen Colt Anderson and Kenny Phillips . Phillips is a pro bowl quality safety, but questions surround the health of his notoriously balky knees. Colt Anderson impressed in 2012 at strong safety with his play at the line of scrimmage, but question marks surround him regarding his coverage skills. Nate Allen, now in his third season, is facing a make or break year that will determine his capability to play the position. Patrick Chung is an NFL quality starter, but was added more for his depth and special teams play, than to be considered an actual starter. As a former seventh round draft pick, Kurt Coleman has a slim chance to make the roster. Coleman was inconsistent at best as a starter and role player in 2012, and many fans would be happy to sese him go. If Kenny Phillips is healthy, he will be the likely starter at free safety, alongside Colt Anderson as strong safety. If Philips is unable to play, consider Nat e Allen as the likely frontrunner at free safety.
Football is a game of inches, and no one knows that more than third year Nebraska graduate Alex Henery . As a rookie, Henery ranked third all-time in field goal percentage amongst players in their first season. Henery also ranked first and fourth in his past two seasons in field goal percentage in Eagles history, so consider him as a lock for the position. At punter, LSU graduate Brad Wing will battle fellow LSU graduate, and 10-year veteran, Donnie Jones . Jones impressed at mini-camp due to his accuracy, but Wing has the bigger leg. Expect this competition to last well into training camp. Wing was the best punter in LSU history as he averaged 44.6 yards per punt on 118 attempts, which ranks first amongst the school’s punters. The issues with Wing come in the form of character concerns as well as questions regarding his cardio, so only time will tell if the former Tiger has what it takes to make it at the NFL level.
Tom Gamble, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, led the draft this year and was able to acquire some very impactful rookies. For the offense, expect both first and second round picks, Lane Johnson, and Zach Ertz to contribute early and often. Many expect Johnson to start from day one. For the defensive side of the ball, third round pick Bennie Logan could contribute on the defensive line if Cole and Graham cannot adjust to their new roles. Fifth round pick Earl Wolff will be a fixture on special teams, and could rotate into the defensive lineup should Kenny Phillips’ knees prove too fragile.
Philadelphia is facing a season of turmoil and change. Only time will tell if a change from the Reid regime was the right choice for General Manager Howie Roseman, and the Eagles organization. The NFC East is ripe for the taking this year, and with a solid start Philadelphia could make a charge for the division. Regardless, the most important decision in Chip Kelly’s pro career has yet to be made; who will the starting quarterback be? Only time will tell, but it is certain that a new era has begun in the city of brotherly love.