Burning Questions for Philadelphia Eagles' Training Camp

Under Andy Reid, the Philadelphia Eagles grew accustomed to the same team year after year. Reid typically fielded a good group of players that won nine, 10 or even 11 games and often a playoff contest.

But the Eagles never won the elusive Lombardi Trophy under Reid, and the new era of Chip Kelly football starts in 2013. Kelly inherits an underwhelming roster that went just 4-12 the year before. Kelly wasted no time in bringing in a slew of new offensive and defensive players who that can fit his hurry-up offense and 3-4 defense.

Training camp will be the opportunity for these players to showcase their skills to their new coach. Kelly still hasn’t announced his starting quarterback, and he likely won't until right before the start of the season. The secondary could feature any combination of players as starters, and the spots on the new 3-4 line haven’t been determined.

One month of practices won’t solve the riddle, but it will offer a clearer idea of what the 2013 Eagles will look like. If Kelly can get the most out of the 53 players he selects, he could lead Philadelphia to a surprise playoff berth in Year 1.

Who Will Win the Starting Quarterback Job?

This is the obvious question, and Kelly has made no attempts to reveal who will start at quarterback. It may be because he doesn’t know yet. After all, he can only make a decision based on a round of OTAs as well as last year’s game film. 

Michael Vick’s contract suggests he’s the expected starter, but Nick Foles did take his fair share of first-team reps in practice. Vick has historically struggled to read defenses, and he will be asked to make many quick decisions in a hurry-up offense. His speed will bring out the best in the offense, and he does have a slew of talented weapons around him.

Foles is younger with less wear and tear on his body, and Kelly may decide to go with the upside that Foles offers. He doesn’t have the speed to run the zone-read option, but he has the intelligence to handle what Kelly asks from his quarterbacks, which is reading defenses and calling audibles when needed.

Look for this to be a back-and-forth competition in July and August. Vick will be reported as the expected starter one day, while reports will be rampant the following day that Foles is expected to start.

Don’t expect to know the answer until September.

Can Matt Barkley Grab the Top Backup QB Spot?

Kelly still hasn’t announced his starting quarterback, citing an open competition between Michael Vick and Nick Foles. Vick is the 33-year-old veteran coming off a disappointing campaign, while Foles is the young player looking to establish his name in the league.

And then there’s Matt Barkley. He was drafted in the fourth round, which constitutes a steal for the Philadelphia Eagles. He probably would have been selected in the top 15 overall had he declared for the draft a year before, but his stock dropped after a disappointing senior campaign.

The selection of Barkley was surprising, and it signaled at least a quarterback competition for the future between Foles and Barkley. If he gets on the field at all this season, it probably won’t be until the second half of 2013. His best bet for now is that Vick gets cut, which would make Barkley the top backup behind Foles.

Who Will Win the Final Wide Receiver Positions?

The Philadelphia Eagles enter camp with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin entrenched as the No. 1 and No. 2 receivers. Jason Avant is entering his eighth season with the team, and he is the expected slot receiver. And Arrelious Benn was brought over via a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to push for a slot role.

But the final receiver spots are up for grabs, and it will be interesting to see who claims them.

Damaris Johnson and Riley Cooper are returning players who are looking to make an impact in 2013. Johnson is an undersized talent with the ability to line up at multiple spots on the field, including returner.

Cooper is a big receiver who showed a knack for plays in the red zone last year, finishing second among Eagles receivers with three scores.

And then there are the long shots like Greg Salas, Russell Shepard and Ifeanyi Momah.

Salas is a former St. Louis Rams receiver who caught 27 passes as a rookie in 2011 but hasn’t really played since. Shepard was a jack-of-all-trades at LSU, lining up everywhere on the field. If he makes the team, it will be in a similar role to that of Johnson, although the odds are stacked against Shepard. The ability to return kicks and punts would make Shepard’s chances much greater.

Momah is a fan favorite already, and he could make an impact if given an opportunity. He’s massively built at 6’8”, although he hasn’t played organized football in two years. Momah tore his ACL recently, and that could slow him down if he hasn't regained his form. If he does make the team, the idea of a receiver that size is intriguing.

Is Lane Johnson Ready to Contribute Immediately?

One of the biggest factors of the 2013 Philadelphia Eagles could be the play of rookie Lane Johnson. The team took a bit of a gamble when it selected the University of Oklahoma product as the fourth overall pick in the draft.

Johnson is a former quarterback, tight end and defensive end who played just two years of left tackle at the collegiate level. He is raw but possesses the athleticism that warranted a top-five overall selection. Johnson posted a 4.72 time in the 40-yard dash, clocking in faster than all but one offensive lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine.

He began organized team activities with the second team but worked his way up to first-team repetitions. He is slotted to play at right tackle, which will task him with protecting Michael Vick’s blind side from Day 1.

If Johnson struggles, the Eagles will have to insert Dennis Kelly at right tackle. That changes the whole dynamic of the offense, as Kelly isn’t nearly as athletic as Johnson. Head coach Kelly could always opt to move Todd Herremans back to right tackle and start Danny Watkins. Regardless, the Eagles are much more effective with a healthy and productive Johnson.

Can Trent Cole Make a Successful Transition to 3-4 Outside Linebacker?

After eight seasons as one of the NFL's finer defensive ends, Trent Cole is being asked to change positions. The Philadelphia Eagles' new 3-4 defense means Cole will transition to a pass-rushing outside linebacker role, which he has never played since joining the league.

Cole has several factors going against him. He's 30 years old and coming off a career-worst season of just three sacks. It may have been be a fluke year, or it could be the beginning of the end for Cole, who had averaged 10 sacks per campaign since 2006.

In the new 3-4, he will be asked to rush the quarterback from a standing position. He may have to cover tight ends or running backs, and it's not even a guarantee he will start. The Eagles signed Connor Barwin in free agency, giving the former Houston Texan a six-year deal. There's also 2010 first-round pick Brandon Graham, who showed signs of life last year as a pass-rushing specialist.

Is Mychal Kendricks on the Verge of Stardom?

Linebacker Mychal Kendricks started immediately as a rookie in 2012. He turned in several outstanding games early on before hitting the rookie wall. In all, he rated poorly by Pro Football Focus’s standards (subscription required), scoring as the 42nd 4-3 outside linebacker among 43 qualifiers.

He allowed four touchdowns without an interception in pass coverage (stats courtesy of PFF, subscription required). He also committed six penalties and missed 14 tackles. But that was in Year 1 on a squad that didn’t feature a slew of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

Kendricks will move inside in the new 3-4 defense, a position which he played at the University of California. He has the sideline-to-sideline speed that should help him make an impact in the running and passing games. He could be poised for a breakout season. 

Can Earl Wolff Steal a Starting Safety Role?

Literally anyone could start at safety for the 2013 Philadelphia Eagles. There’s last year starters, Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman, neither of whom impressed. That suggests free-agent signees Kenny Phillips and Patrick Chung could take over as the starters, as they’re expected to.

But expect fifth-round rookie Earl Wolff to push for immediate playing time. He could wind up as an Opening Day starter against the Washington Redskins. He was a playmaker at North Carolina State, and he has elite speed and the ability to play in the box or a more traditional center-field role.

Wolff was even taking first-team reps in organized team activities. That shouldn’t signal too much, as Kelly has repeatedly downplayed the significance of depth charts so early in the offseason.

But what does suggest Wolff has a chance is that the other safeties aren’t that good. Coleman may not make the team. Allen has had his flashes, but he didn’t impress as a starter last season at all. Phillips has already experienced knee issues, and Chung is likely best suited as a rotational player.

Wolff will probably start the season playing with the backups and seeing action on special teams. Expect him to work his way into the regular rotation soon, though.

Who Will Be the Kick/Punt Returners in 2013?

Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles fielded a rotation of Bryce Brown and Brandon Boykin as the kick returners, while Damaris Johnson returned punts. None of the three showed any explosiveness, save for a 98-yard return by Johnson late in the season.

It will be interesting to see who Chip Kelly picks for these roles in 2013.

It could be the same guys, but Kelly also has the option of former Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson. Kelly has been experimenting with Jeremy Maclin on return duties, and it could even be a rookie like Russell Shepard.

Can This Offense Be One of the NFL's Best?

In a word, yes.

It will ultimately come down to quarterback play. If Michael Vick can reproduce some element of his magical 2010 season, or if Nick Foles can continue to improve and thrive in the hurry-up offense, the Eagles can score 400 points.

The talent is there. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are one of the NFL's finer wide receiver duos, and Jason Avant is a reliable slot receiver. Brent Celek's better days as a tight end are past him, but he and Zach Ertz will provide a difficult 1-2 tight end combination to cover. James Casey will offer another element as a multidimensional player who can line up at fullback, H-back or tight end.

The offensive line struggled for much of 2012, but Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Todd Herremans are all back from season-ending injuries. Peters was arguably the game's best lineman in 2011, and he and Lane Johnson could give the Eagles a terrific tackle duo.

Herremans is a terrific guard, and left guard Evan Mathis is one of the more underrated players in the league. Add in the growing development of Kelce, and this is a top offensive line in the league.

The ability of the players to respond to Chip Kelly's hurry-up offense will have a huge impact. If it makes the Eagles as difficult to stop as Kelly's collegiate Oregon Ducks were, then good luck to opposing defenses. But if it fails to translate as expected, the Eagles may not be much better than last year's 4-12.

Is This Team Ready to Make the Playoffs?

Asking Chip Kelly to take the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs in 2013 may be too much. This team has too many questions marks.

The quarterback position hasn't been set, and it's not as if Kelly is choosing from Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

The defense was horrendous down the stretch last season, and the switch to a 3-4 won't make things easier. The secondary, which allowed 33 touchdowns a season ago, will face Robert Griffin III, Eli Manning and Tony Romo six times.

Fortunately, the Eagles do face the AFC West, a division that featured three of the league's weaker teams a year ago.

Still, it's not practical to expect much more than eight wins from this group in 2013. The key will be the ability of the defense to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks as well as the overall health of the roster.