Predicting Philadelphia Eagles' Starting Lineup After 1st Wave of Free Agency
Say what you want about Chip Kelly’s wild offseason, but he sure managed to turn the Philadelphia Eagles' starting lineup in a hurry. With free agency winding down, our projections show as many as 10 new starters wearing midnight green this September—and we haven’t even reached the draft yet.
Given the sweeping changes Kelly has made in the head coach’s first foray into having full control of personnel decisions, some of you might not recognize an Eagles depth chart anymore. We’re here to help. Ahead, we examine the anticipated starters at every position after a wild opening week of free agency in the NFL and break down who will be lining up where—and who will be gunning for whose jobs.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Bradford being Philadelphia’s opening-day starter is contingent on his recovery from a torn ACL and his still being there after the draft. Well, the five-year veteran says he’ll be ready in time for training camp, while Kelly insists a trade for Marcus Mariota is not in the works and Bradford is the Eagles’ quarterback, each via press conferences carried by PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
If Bradford doesn’t progress quickly at camp, Mark Sanchez could be the club’s Week 1 starter. Sanchez signed an incentive-laden contract extension with the Eagles this offseason.
Running Back
2 of 10
For the second consecutive year, the Eagles will enter the regular season with the NFL’s reigning rushing champion in the backfield. Murray replaces LeSean McCoy, the former Dallas Cowboy’s one-cut running style seemingly a perfect fit for Kelly’s offense—provided he can stay healthy and avoid decline after a punishing workload in 2014.
One thing is for sure: Murray shouldn’t be asked to touch the ball 500 times in Philadelphia. Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles will get plenty of opportunities to tote the rock as well.
Wide Receiver
3 of 10
Josh Huff, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews
The Eagles lack a clear-cut No. 1 receiver in the wake of Jeremy Maclin’s unexpected departure. In the offense’s standard three-receiver set, I would expect Huff and Cooper on the outside with Matthews in the slot based on the current personnel. In two-receiver formations, Matthews could replace either Huff or Cooper.
Expect an early draft pick to compete for a starting job on the outside, and don’t be surprised if the Eagles add a veteran into the mix—although options appear to be dwindling.
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Tight End
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Brent Celek
Zach Ertz is by far the better receiving threat at this point in their respective careers, but Celek remains one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. Given how much money the Eagles have invested in running backs, it’s safe to say the eight-year veteran is looking at another season atop the depth chart in Philadelphia.
Offensive Line
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Jason Peters, Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce, Andrew Gardner, Lane Johnson
Peters, Kelce and Johnson have their respective positions at left tackle, center and right tackle nailed down. Only the guards are in question here.
Todd Herremans was released, while the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Eagles are working to trade Evan Mathis. The team seemed to be preparing for these potential vacancies last offseason when it signed Barbre to a contract extension. As for Gardner, he’s unlikely to win a battle over an early draft pick, provided Kelly uses one to bolster the interior of his offensive line—something this author highly recommends.
Defensive Line
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Cedric Thornton, Bennie Logan, Fletcher Cox
The defensive line is one of the areas on the field where the Eagles did not undergo radical change during this offseason. I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Cox is coming off of a monster season at defensive end in which he solidified himself as the foundation of Philly’s defense for years to come—a long-term contract extension is surely on the way. Logan should have silenced skeptics with his play at nose tackle in ’14, while Thornton remains a bit of a one-dimensional run defender at end, but Vinny Curry provided the perfect spell as a situational pass-rusher off the bench.
Linebacker
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Connor Barwin, Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans, Brandon Graham
You may be wondering: Where is Mychal Kendricks on this list? Kelly’s commitment to Ryans is puzzling, as the two-time Pro Bowler is 30, entering the final year of his contract and recovering from his second Achilles injury.
Yet somebody has to be the odd man out at interior linebacker after the acquisition of Alonso, and it’s interesting that Jeff McLane for The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the Eagles hadn’t approached Kendricks about an extension. Hm…
Barwin retains his spot on the left, while Graham finally gets a chance to start after all these years, stepping into Trent Cole’s spot on the outside. 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith is the primary depth here.
Cornerback
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Byron Maxwell, Walter Thurmond III, Brandon Boykin
Obviously, Maxwell is the Eagles’ No. 1 cornerback after signing a free-agent contract worth $60 million.
Thurmond’s one-year deal for $3.25 million, contract details courtesy of Spotrac, would seem to suggest the former Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants nickel corner will have every opportunity to start. However, considering he’s only managed to appear in 25 of 71 possible regular-season and playoff games since 2011, I wouldn’t count on his presence.
Expect Boykin to remain in the slot for now, although the cornerback position is far from settled in Philadelphia. Nolan Carroll and Jaylen Watkins could have roles, and no doubt help in the form of a draft pick is on the way.
Safety
9 of 10
Malcolm Jenkins, ???????
Jenkins wound up being a perfect fit for Philly’s defense after coming over as a free agent last offseason. Unfortunately, the Eagles have yet to replace Nate Allen—the starter next to Jenkins—who bolted for the Oakland Raiders.
The free-agent market for safeties is barren, it’s said to be a weak draft class at the position and the Eagles don’t have many great options internally. Either Earl Wolff, who essentially missed the entirety of his second season with a knee injury, or Chris Maragos, a career special teamer, seem the likeliest options on the roster.
My guess is the Eagles will eventually sign a free-agent stopgap—either Dwight Lowery, Dawan Landry or Stevie Brown. For now, the other starter is a total mystery.
Special Teams
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Cody Parkey, Donnie Jones, Jon Dorenbos
No change here. Parkey is coming off an incredible rookie season in which the placekicker wound up receiving an invitation to the Pro Bowl. Jones regressed somewhat in ’14 but got his long-term deal last offseason, so he’ll continue handling punting duties. And with the exits of Herremans and Cole, Dorenbos—who’s as automatic as long snappers get—becomes the longest-tenured Eagle on the roster.
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