Philadelphia Eagles: Is Chip Kelly Undervaluing Mychal Kendricks?

Sure, Mychal Kendricks is still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, and may well be for the duration of the 2015 season. It's not as if head coach Chip Kelly has implied or overtly stated Kendricks’ days with the team are numbered, either.

Except oftentimes, actions speak louder than words.

If Kendricks is really part of Kelly’s vision for the Eagles, why trade LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso? And why extend DeMeco Ryans’ contract, as CSNPhilly.com's Geoff Mosher reported, when the 31-year-old is coming off of a second Achilles injury? Why further bolster depth at the position with the free-agent signing of Brad Jones? And why interview top prospects such as Benardrick McKinney and Denzel Perryman ahead of the draft, per reports?

Why has the front office—now under Kelly’s guidance—not yet approached Kendricks about a contract extension as the interior linebacker enters the final year of his rookie contract, this according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer?

PLAYER	AGE (12/31/15)	GMS/STARTS	CONTRACT
E. Acho	25	20/2	'15
K. Alonso	25	16/16	'16
N. Goode	26	18/1	'15
B. Jones	29	66/36	'16
M. Kendricks	25	42/40	'15
D. Ryans	31	126/126	'16

Perhaps Kelly undervalues Kendricks. After all, if Philadelphia does wind up taking another interior linebacker in the draft, conventional wisdom suggests somebody has to be the odd man out. Based on the movements of this offseason, it won’t be Alonso, Ryans or Jones. For what it’s worth, Najee Goode and Emmanuel Acho are still on the roster as well.

Since Ryans reworked his deal on Monday, speculation has only intensified that Kendricks could wind up in a trade for draft picks, or perhaps a player who fills a hole at another position—maybe a safety? It’s all conjecture at this point, and impossible to evaluate without knowing the return.

Yet one must wonder why Kelly would want to dump or marginalize Kendricks at all. He does everything well, from defending the run to rushing the passer to dropping into coverage. He’s the type of player who could be one of the cornerstones in the middle of Philly’s defense for years to come.

The three-year NFL veteran appeared on the verge of becoming a Pro Bowler the past two seasons. Since 2013, only three linebackers have recorded at least seven sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles—Julius Peppers, Lavonte David and Kendricks.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Kendricks appeared in three fewer games than David and five fewer than Peppers.

As it turns out, therein may contain the answer. Kelly was directly asked about Kendricks’ future at the NFL owners' meetings, and while the Birds' recently appointed personnel czar claimed there was room for everybody, he also cited injuries as being an issue, per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.

“The health aspect was a difficult thing,” Kelly said. “We were a different team without him on the field. But when he played, he played really well for us.”

It’s true Kendricks missed four games in 2014 and was limited in a fifth. It’s true Kendricks missed one game each of the previous two seasons, so he’s never played a full 16 in the NFL. And it’s true that as an undersized linebacker at 6’0”, 240 pounds, Kendricks may be prone to wearing down more than others who play the position.

Only ironically enough, Alonso and Ryans are coming off of season-ending injuries, as are many of the Kelly’s recent additions this offseason—cornerback Walter Thurmond and quarterback Sam Bradford, to name a few. That couldn’t possibly be it, could it?

YR	TKL	SK	INT	FF
2014	83	4.0	0	3
2013	106	4.0	3	2
2012	75	1.0	0	0

Kendricks has proven himself a playmaker since entering the league. Sure, his stature occasionally exposes him in coverage or when attempting to make a tackle, but the turnovers and huge losses Kendricks creates change the outcomes of games.

Even if Kendricks isn’t getting swapped this offseason, why would he want to sign an extension in 2016 when there are NFL teams that would be happy to have him as one of the centerpieces of a defense? If Kendricks were part of Kelly’s plans, why prepare all these alternatives and let a promising young talent twist in the wind?

Ultimately, time will tell whether Kendricks is part of the plan, or whether the return in an unforeseen trade was worth it. At the moment, it’s kind of hard not to get the feeling for some reason Kelly isn’t happy with what he has here.

Which, if true, would be a shame. Kelly has flipped a sizeable portion of the Eagles roster this offseason trying to build a team in his image, which is certainly justifiable to an extent. Then again, why he would be so down on Kendricks currently remains a bit of mystery.