Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Philadelphia Eagles' Secondary in 2015

Chip Kelly made significant strides this offseason to address a Philadelphia Eagles secondary that ranked 31st in the NFL in passing yards allowed a year ago. He signed free-agent cornerback Byron Maxwell to a $63 million contract, drafted Utah Utes' Eric Rowe in the second round and added two more defensive backs in the later rounds.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Eagles will see substantial improvement in the secondary, as it could take time for the newcomers to grow accustomed to their new roles with greater expectations.

The offense took a hit with the loss of LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, but the addition of free-agent running back DeMarco Murray and first-round receiver Nelson Agholor should keep Philly among the league's highest scoring offenses; that is, as long as quarterback Sam Bradford can stay healthy.

The secondary may be the unit that will make or break the Eagles' season. A top performance from the defensive backfield could have Philadelphia with 12 wins and in position for a deep playoff run. But another shaky year from the back four on defense, and it could be a .500 season again. Here are the best- and worst-case scenarios for the secondary, as well as the most plausible situation.

Best Case:

Chip Kelly's aggressive offseason approach to shoring up a secondary that was a major liability a year ago pays off in remarkable ways.

The Philadelphia Eagles boast a top-10 defense with an underrated front seven putting frequent pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. Meanwhile, third-year defensive coordinator Billy Davis' press cover schemes get the most out of newbies Maxwell and Rowe.

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Maxwell lives up to year one of his massive contract, locking down with No. 1 wide receivers. He's not perfect in coverage, but his size and long arms are what Kelly wants from his corners. Maxwell gets an NFC East-high five interceptions, and he's rewarded with his first Pro Bowl selection.

Opposite Maxwell, the rookie Rowe holds his own, and his physicality is a strength. Rowe picks off three passes, taking two back for scores, and leads Eagles defensive backs in tackles.

At safety, the veteran Malcolm Jenkins contributes with another solid season, playing well in pass coverage, and this time without the dropped interceptions. A camp battle for the strong safety spot results in either Jaylen Watkins or Ed Reynolds winning it with ease and playing surprisingly well in a rotation with the other this season.

Brandon Boykin, nickel cornerback and a free-agent soon, is shipped somewhere for a fourth-round pick when a starter goes down, but former Oregon Duck Walter Thurmond plays well in his place. The depth is strong, especially as sixth-round rookie JaCorey Shepherd pushes for substantial snaps.

Worst Case:

Despite the contract dished out to Maxwell and the trio of draft picks spent on cornerbacks, the Philadelphia Eagles once again finish near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed. Playing Eli Manning and Tony Romo four times per season doesn't help, but even Robert Griffin III lights up the secondary.

The biggest problem is Maxwell, who struggles as the No. 1 corner after a year of playing the under-the-radar role in the Seattle Seakhawks' Legion of Boom. Maxwell isn't Nnamdi Asomugha bad, but he plays poorly enough that Eagles fans start checking the breakdown of his contract to see how soon he can be released.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The starting role opposite Maxwell is a turnstile rotation among Boykin, Thurmond and rookie second-rounder Rowe. Boykin proves why the coaching staff doesn't like to play him on the outside, Thurmond misses more time due to injuries and Rowe shows why it's difficult to expect too much from rookies at the cornerback position.

That leaves Jenkins as the team's best defensive back. While he's adequate enough to keep his job, his penchant for dropped interceptions continue to plague the team. The strong safety spot is even worse than the No. 2 corner job—Kelly is forced to keep both Watkins and Reynolds on the roster when Earl Wolff's knee proves a worse injury than initially anticipated.

The problem is that Watkins is stretched as even a nickel corner, and Reynolds is a liability in the same way that Patrick Chung and Jaiquawn Jarrett were. Six different players start a game at strong safety, and it gets so bad that Kelly and Davis even give practice-squad player Jerome Couplin III a shot.

The Eagles manage to score over 450 points again and win nine games, but the anemic secondary keeps Kelly winless in the postseason for the third consecutive year, unofficially placing him on the coaching hot seat.

Realistic Case:

The above two examples were fairly extreme, and it's very likely the end result is something in between.

The Philadelphia Eagles most likely won't be winning the Super Bowl a la the 2013 Seattle Seahawks, but if the secondary can match up as at least an average unit, that should be enough for double-digit wins and perhaps a home playoff game.

The biggest wild card for the 2015 season will be Maxwell, a No. 2 corner on Seattle who is being paid handsomely in Philadelphia with expectations that he can be a Pro Bowl player. It's difficult to imagine Maxwell outplaying his contract, but if he can make strides and become a top-15 corner in the same way that Prince Amukamara or Kareem Jackson are, that will help the Eagles immensely.

The starting spot opposite Maxwell will likely be a camp competition between Rowe, Boykin and Thurmond, with the coaching staff hoping Rowe can fulfill his second-round draft status and win the job. He likely will, and it's easy to see Boykin getting traded, considering the team has already reportedly tried to dangle him.

Safety Jenkins is a fine player who isn't a long-term solution, but he's a stopgap who won't help or hurt the team much more than an average player would. It would be a godsend if Watkins, Wolff or Reynolds can seize the starting job opposite Jenkins, but it's more likely the coaching staff spends the season trying to hide whoever happens to be starting at that spot.

The 2014 Eagles' final defensive stats were 30 touchdowns and over 4,200 passing yards allowed. As long as Kelly is head coach, the defense will see its fair share of passing attempts, so those numbers probably won't decline too much. If the team can keep its opponents to 25 touchdowns and under 3,800 yards, it's a step in the right direction.