Ranking the Philadelphia Eagles' 10 Most Critical Players Heading into 2015

The offseason moves to acquire DeMarco Murray and Sam Bradford, while shipping off other players, thrust the Philadelphia Eagles into the national spotlight this offseason. With so many new faces, which players will be most important for Chip Kelly’s team in the 2015 season?

The list of critical players from the 2013 NFC East winners probably would have included the likes of LeSean McCoy, Nick Foles and Jeremy Maclin. However, following a season where the Eagles finished behind the Dallas Cowboys with a 10-6 record, Philadelphia cleaned house of the players mentioned above.

Veteran leaders Trent Cole and Todd Herremans also found themselves on their way out of South Philadelphia this offseason.

Chip Kelly continued to put his stamp on team by trading for Bradford and Kiko Alonso while also signing free agents Murray, Ryan Mathews, Walter Thurmond III and Byron Maxwell.

Looking at the entire roster, which players will make or break Philadelphia’s chances of returning to the playoffs in the 2015 season? These players are ranked according to their individual importance to the Eagles’ success.

Give your say below and let me know where you agree or disagree.

Honorable Mentions

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Evan Mathis

The 33-year-old offensive guard is one piece on the left side of Eagles' dominant offensive line between Jason Peters and Jason Kelce.

The Alabama native is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and earned Associated Press All-Pro honors in 2013. However, Mathis is on the trade block for the second year in a row, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane.

With the uncertain future of the University of Alabama product and other members of the offensive line currently holding higher importance, Mathis just missed this list.

Mychal Kendricks

The Eagles' second-round pick in the 2012 draft showed promise last year and established himself as a valuable part of the linebacker corps in Philadelphia.

Kendricks missed four games last season in large part due to a calf injury but still contributed 83 total tackles and four sacks. His agility and speed allow him to cover tight ends and explode into the backfield to make tackles for loss.

At only 24 years old, Kendricks would be a more critical part of the Eagles if it was not for the depth at inside linebacker. If Kendricks is traded or goes down injured, Kelly can rely on Alonso and DeMeco Ryans to fill the two inside linebacker positions in the 3-4 defense.

Cody Parkey

The rookie kicker from Auburn University earned a spot on the Pro Bowl roster in his first season.

Parkey converted 32 of his 36 field-goal attempts and proved reliable for Kelly when the head coach turned to him. The kicker led the team in scoring, contributing 150 of the Eagles' 474 points in 2014. The second-highest scorer was Jeremy Maclin with 60 points.

Despite the impressive season, specific kickers do not hold enough individual value to earn a spot on this list.

10. Zach Ertz

Position: Tight End

Age: 24

The 24-year-old player out of Stanford University continued to improve in his second-year in the NFL and showed the ability to make difficult catches.

Ertz finished third on the team last year in receptions (58), yards (702) and receiving touchdowns (three) behind Maclin and Jordan Matthews. With the departure of Maclin, the tight end could have an even larger role in Philadelphia’s passing game next season.

Tight ends are often considered the quarterback’s best friend, so the third-year player will be important to provide a safety valve for new quarterback Sam Bradford.

9. DeMarco Murray

Position: Running Back

Age: 27

Last year’s Offensive Player of the Year spurned Dallas Cowboy fans by signing with division rival Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The running back signed a five-year, $42 million contract this March, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. 

The two-time Pro Bowl selection led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards last year on 392 carries. The Oklahoma University product is a strong north-and-south runner with the ability to cut smoothly, as shown by his 15-yard score against the Seattle Seahawks last season.

With McCoy, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk in the backfield last season, the Eagles ran the ball 474 times, which ranked seventh in the NFL.

Look for a continued emphasis on the running game in 2015, but the Eagles can split carries among three established veterans in Murray, Mathews and Sproles.

8. Malcolm Jenkins

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Position: Safety

Age: 27

The Achilles' heel for the Philadelphia Eagles last season proved to be their pass defense, but Malcolm Jenkins has the ability to lead a new-look secondary in 2015.

The Eagles finished tied for 21st in team interceptions last season with only 12. Jenkins contributed three of them, second on the team behind Nate Allen. The New Jersey native also finished second on the team with 80 total tackles.

Philadelphia revamped its defensive secondary this offseason by adding Maxwell and Thurmond. The Eagles will need similar veteran leadership from their starting safety again this season to motivate and organize whoever takes the field with him.

7. Jordan Matthews

Position: Wide Receiver

Age: 22

For the second year in a row, the Eagles will enter a season without their leading receiver from the previous season after Jeremy Maclin signed with his former coach Andy Reid in Kansas City. The Eagles will turn to Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews to pick up the slack in the passing game.

Matthews, in particular, showed promise in his rookie season by finishing second on the team with 67 receptions, 872 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. His breakout performance came against the Carolina Panthers when he contributed two touchdowns on seven receptions for 138 yards.

The Eagles do not have a lot of quality depth at wide receiver with Matthews, Cooper, Miles Austin, Josh Huff, Jeff Maehl and Seyi Ajirotutu.

The second-year player out of Vanderbilt University will need to perform consistently in order for the Eagles to succeed through the air.

6. Connor Barwin

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Position: Outside Linebacker

Age: 28

Everything in the National Football League revolves around the quarterback. On the offensive side of the ball, teams want to protect their main man. On the defensive side, teams want to pressure and rattle the opposing quarterback, which Connor Barwin did a lot in 2014.

The Missouri native finished fourth in the league last year with 14.5 sacks and third on the Eagles with 64 tackles. The increased emphasis on pass-rushers makes Barwin a valuable asset going forward.

The veteran presence will need to take a bigger leadership role this year with the departure of longtime Eagle Trent Cole.

Former first-round pick Brandon Graham finally showcased his pass-rushing ability last year with 5.5 sacks, but Billy Davis’ defense will need consistent output from Barwin to take pressure off the questionable secondary.

Despite the statistical acclaim Barwin received, the next player on this list usually smoothed the way for linebacker on his way to the quarterback.

5. Fletcher Cox

Position: Defensive End

Age: 24

Every team needs a player who will get down and dirty to do the little things necessary for success. For the Philadelphia Eagles, that player is Fletcher Cox.

There is nothing glamorous about the 6’4”, 300-pound defensive lineman, but his contribution in the trenches allows the linebackers around him to make big plays. The player from Mississippi State finished fifth on the Eagles last year with 61 tackles.

Cox received AP second-team All-Pro honors, but Kelly found it surprising the player was not selected for the 2014 Pro Bowl roster.

“I think he’s been our top player,” Kelly said, according to Reuben Frank of CSN Philly. “He’s been really unblockable at times. I think he’s a very disruptive force. But sometimes you make the Pro Bowl, I guess, on reputation. But I know he may be our most valuable player overall, to be honest with you.”

Cox’s importance to this defensive line and to the defense as whole is largely understated. His ability to penetrate and tie up multiple blockers allows the players around him, like Barwin, to make the sacks.

4. Jason Kelce

Position: Center

Age: 27

Philadelphia’s offense under Kelly is predicated on running as many plays as possible at a high pace. In such a system, the second most important player in implementing the high-tempo offense is the center Jason Kelce.

The center is responsible for getting back to the line of scrimmage and getting the rest of the line set before the quarterback is ready to snap the ball.

Kelce’s agility also allows the Eagles to run successful screen passes with a team of blockers out in front of the tailback. Kelce contains a unique skill set that teams around the league envy.

"I get calls from other line coaches about Kelce, and they are like: 'This guy is unbelievable in space,'" offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland told the Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Ford. “Many times, those big offensive linemen in space look like cows on ice. They can't change direction or stop on a dime. Jason Kelce is totally the opposite of that. When he gets outside the blocking box—whether on a screen pass or a sweep or a play to the perimeter—he always takes the right angle at the right target.”

Kelce earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2014 despite missing four games due to a hernia injury. With a new quarterback under center in Bradford, Kelce’s experience in orchestrating this offense is even more valuable next season.

3. Jason Peters

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Position: Left Tackle

Age: 33

Left tackle is generally agreed to be the most important position on the offensive line, and the Philadelphia Eagles tout a dominant one in Jason Peters.

The left tackle is responsible for protecting the blind side of the quarterback, and this may be an even more important this season due to the injury history of Bradford.

Although Peters is on the wrong side of 30, his production is still at the top compared to other players. The 6’4”, 328-pound wrecking machine earned his third AP first-team All-Pro selection and seventh Pro Bowl honor in 2014.

Beyond the awards, Peter is also an important leader for the line and the offense as whole. The surprisingly athletic big man showed he knows when to stand up and make a statement as he did against the Washington Redskins last year.

Coming into a new team, Bradford needs to know his teammates will have his back.

2. Byron Maxwell

Position: Cornerback

Age: 27

Philadelphia cut its two starting cornerbacks last year, Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, in hope of replacing them with better cover men. The Eagles made a big splash this offseason by signing the top corner on the market, Maxwell, to help improve their poor secondary.

The former member of the Legion of Boom in Seattle garnered a six-year contract worth $63 million this offseason.

Last season, Fletcher and Williams allowed Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson to both rack up more than 100 receiving yards in the Eagles' defeat to Green Bay in Week 11. The two cornerbacks were a main reason why the Eagles ranked second-to-last in pass defense in 2014.

At 6’1” Maxwell fits the prototypical size of a shutdown corner, but it is yet to be seen whether he can contain the best wide receivers week in and week out. The Eagles will need Maxwell to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham Jr. and DeSean Jackson twice per year.

Maxwell will go a long way in improving the biggest need for the Eagles, but he does not occupy a high-value position.

1. Sam Bradford

Position: Quarterback

Age: 27

Nick Foles threw 27 touchdowns to two interceptions just two seasons ago but now finds himself in St. Louis due to a trade. That deal brought Bradford to Philadelphia.

The Eagles' new signal-caller is coming off his second season with an ACL tear but has shown potential when healthy. The former first overall pick earned Rookie of the Year honors back in 2010 after putting up 3,512 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Bradford will need to remain healthy in 20154 in order for the Eagles to have a shot at returning to the playoffs. Philadelphia sat in good position with a 6-2 record following Week 9 in 2014, but the season went off the rails when Foles broke his collarbone against the Houston Texans.

Mark Sanchez took over the reins following the injury and still remains the Eagles' second-choice quarterback. With Sanchez as the starter, the Eagles finished 4-4 and missed the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff hopes firmly rest on Bradford’s glass knees.