If, like myself, you have a predilection for all things brotherly love, rest your weary head my friend. I'm here to help. We've eaten trade rumors, free-agent signings and blockbuster fantasy deals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Between-meal snacking is always encouraged. This offseason provided a salacious buffet of moves that have torn down and rebuilt the very face of the Philadelphia Eagles franchise in a matter of a few short weeks. Sit back, pretend you didn't shell out a cool $99.99 for that midnight green Nick Foles jersey hanging in your closet, and let me walk you through your team's new facelift provided by Chip Kelly.
Kelly, an accomplished NCAA coach, has proven his system can work in the NFL — at least to an extent. In his first two years, the Eagles are 20-12, ranking second and fifth in the NFL in total offense. His brilliance (or insanity) stretches far beyond his X's and O's. His sports medicine influence, the details of which are closely guarded by all those involved, aims to eliminate soft tissue injuries, as they are the most preventable — think strains, sprains and bruises. Kelly invested $1 million in technology upon his arrival; this is no half-baked scheme a wannabe D-I coach concocted. Whether you like it or not, the numbers speak for themselves.
Having primarily been a college coach, his system was created with that dynamic in mind. Players are recycled every two to four years and the roster turns over completely, leaving Kelly and his system as the sole constant. Rather than rely on individual talent, Kelly focuses on his system as the foundation of a winning season. He doesn't call for flashy playmakers, although just about every Eagles fan will counter by saying that talent produced such gaudy numbers; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. DeSean Jackson was released after the 2013 season when it looked as though he couldn't buy into Chip's system. If you took a nap this past week, like LeSean McCoy did, you might have missed your franchise's favorite player departing to Buffalo or Kansas City. It's been two years, and Chip Kelly has officially installed his new system. The top three offensive playmakers he inherited (Jackson, McCoy, Maclin) are now gone via two releases and a trade. The final roster is far from finished, but this is where Kelly and his new-look Philadelphia Eagles stand.
Chip in charge
The turn of the year marked a change in the organizational makeup of the Eagles. Howie Roseman, GM since 2010, was in essence forced out as Kelly was given complete control of all matters, including the draft. Roseman's new title: executive vice president of football operations, entails overseeing the salary cap and contract negotiations, as well as the equipment and medical staffs. Lovely gift, don't you think? I can't help but picture Roseman sitting behind his desk rolling his eyes at every Oregon Duck walking through the door to discuss their contract. For those keeping track at home, that number is now 10.
The Birds shipped off “Shady" McCoy to Buffalo for 24-year-old linebacker Kiko Alonso. This acquisition marked the beginning of their defensive overhaul, opening up significant cap space to spend on whomever Chip Kelly desired. Alonso, who was voted Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America in 2013, ranked third in the league in tackles and intercepted a pass in three consecutive games — the first rookie to do so since 1980. He's also a former Duck.
So, what's the catch? Alonso missed his sophomore campaign with a torn ACL, his second knee injury in five years. Injury, as you will soon see, is a recurrent theme this offseason. After the departures of cornerback Cary Williams and safety Nate Allen, Chip Kelly turned his focus to the secondary, the team's most glaring weakness in his two years at the helm. (Make sure you're sitting down for this. Nate Allen signed in Oakland for four years, $23 million and $11.8 million guaranteed. Let that sink in for a second. Good riddance.)
The deal freed up the nearly $12 million owed to McCoy this year, and the Eagles began their free agency frenzy acquiring cornerbacks Byron Maxwell, Walter Thurmond III (former Duck), Pro-Bowl running back Ryan Mathews and the NFL's 2014 leading rusher DeMarco Murray. Anchored by Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan and Cedric Thornton on the defensive line, the front seven — one of the tops in the league — welcomes the inside presence of Alonso, joining an already talented linebacker corps. Look for Kelly to continue addressing the secondary through free agency and the draft. Allen's departure leaves the safety position next to Malcolm Jenkins vacant. The draft's best safety, Alabama's Landon Collins, is expected to fall to the Eagles at the 20th pick. The best internal option is Earl Wolff.
The departures of Maclin and Jackson in consecutive years leave Jordan Matthews and Riley Cooper atop the depth chart. Matthews hauled in 67 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie year, but expect new faces in the receiving corps being labeled as the Eagles biggest hole.
Quarterback
The speculation about mortgaging the future to move up and get Mariota, whom Kelly continues to laud as the best quarterback in the draft, was rampant. The key to the deal was likely Nick Foles.
Foles however, was shipped to St. Louis for Bradford, who is coming off back-to-back ACL tears. The Eagles seemingly overpaid, sending a fourth-round pick this year and second-round pick next year in exchange for a fifth-rounder and a conditional future pick — one that becomes a third-rounder if Bradford doesn't play at all for the Eagles, but I'll come back to that in a bit.
Reports surfaced in February that teams at the top of the draft would rather take a chance on Bradford, the 2010 No. 1 overall pick, than spend a first round pick on Mariota or Winston.
Bradford fits in Kelly's system. He won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma playing in a “no-huddle, fast break" offense. Bradford's words, not mine. He possesses the characteristics Kelly looks for in a shot-caller: quick decision-making skills, accuracy and athletic ability.
Pardon me while I do my best Ron Jaworski imitation... ahem. I just watched every throw that Bradford has made in his career over 15 yards in St. Louis. Throwing to the likes of Danny Amendola (who left after the season), Donario Alexander and Brandon Gibson, Bradford won the 2010 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who now holds the same position for the Eagles. Bradford's accuracy is immediately noticeable — heightened by the immense number of drops by his receivers — and the fit seems to make some sense after the initial shock of the deal. Remember the 2011 Monday Night Football game where New York Giants defenders began inexplicably dropping like flies to disrupt their opponent's offensive momentum? Yep. That was Sam Bradford's fast-paced offense.
Bradford could be the fit Kelly was looking for. Could be. Nothing is as it seems on the surface with Kelly, and many believe a greater ploy is afoot. Here's how:
Kelly and the Rams both revealed that they were offered a first-round pick for Bradford. Would Kelly have passed on another first-round pick that could have helped him move up to get Mariota? And why overpay for Bradford? In trading Foles to the Rams, Kelly provided them with a starting quarterback, all but removing them from the list of possible Mariota suitors seemingly shrinking after his less-than-stellar pro day. If the Rams accepted a first rounder (confirmed to have been offered by the Browns) for Bradford, they would own the 10th and 19th (via Cleveland) picks in this year's first-round, providing the necessary foundation to trade up for Mariota. Chip's deal nullified threats posed by the quarterback-deficient Browns and the Rams in one fell swoop. As mentioned, the Titans who hold the second pick in the draft look upon Bradford favorably. With Mariota's stock falling, the market seems to be playing into Kelly's hands. Downplaying the situation, Kelly said that Bradford wasn't acquired to be a trade chip. “I'm the only Chip here," he joked.
I don't believe Kelly brought in Bradford and had him recruit OU roommate and friend DeMarco Murray knowing the whole time he would be gone in a matter of months. But, it is naïve to think Kelly will sit on his hands if the situation presents itself and Bradford is the keystone. The most obvious move would be to No. 2, sending Bradford to the Titans. If Mariota slips, anything is fair game.
Will the System Work?
Chip Kelly will exit Philadelphia either as the hero whose innovative coaching brought the team its first Super Bowl title, or he will be labeled a mad scientist who's too wrapped up in his own chemistry set. The system worked in college due to the constantly fluctuating roster system. There are no long-term deals, no personal relationships to ponder when cutting players. My fear is the system is just that: too much of a system. If Kelly's obsession with his system causes him to devalue his players and their relationships with him, his downfall could have nothing to do with on-the-field play. McCoy was excited about his move to Buffalo. A member of Foles' family described him as “overjoyed that he is out of Philly." Does Kelly's overbearing system turn players off? It did for Frank Gore, who recently committed to sign in Philly after McCoy's trade, only to sign with the Colts after getting cold feet — McCoy, who talked to Gore on the phone, joked he convinced him not to sign.
If Chip can toe that line and marry his system to his players without overcommitting to them, you will see success in Philadelphia. We gave him the keys to the kitchen, so we might as well let him pick his own ingredients.
