Grading Philadelphia Eagles' Most Improved Positional Units

Chip Kelly spent the offseason molding the Philadelphia Eagles into exactly what he wants in a roster. He cut ties with All-Pro talents and former Andy Reid players, dished out big money to DeMarco Murray and Byron Maxwell and shocked the football world by signing Tim Tebow.

Kelly’s biggest offseason move, of course, was the Nick Foles-for-Sam Bradford trade, one that seemed like a prelude to a possible Marcus Mariota move but ultimately one that will give Bradford the opportunity to be the Eagles’ signal-caller in ’15.

Kelly’s curious offseason can’t fully be judged until after next season, maybe even after several more seasons. Whether he’s done enough to make the Eagles into a playoff team will be determined come December and January, but Philadelphia fans can expect to see improved play from the following units.

Running Back

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Grade at End of 2014: A-

Despite rushing for over 1,300 yards in 2014, LeSean McCoy was too often inconsistent, frustrating and a liability at the running back position. His tendency to bounce to the outside and try to break off the big run led Chip Kelly to trade him out of town and subsequently sign big-name free-agent running back DeMarco Murray, last year’s leading rusher.

Murray just so happened to run for his 1,800-plus yards in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, so Kelly managed to strengthen the Philadelphia Eagles offense while at the same time weakening the Cowboys team. Murray is a powerful one-cut zone-runner who has proved he’s capable of handling a full workload.

Kelly can’t possibly give Murray as many carries as he got in Dallas last year, and that’s why the Eagles added proven depth in Ryan Mathews, a Pro Bowler himself. Third-string running back Chris Polk left for the Houston Texans, but the trio of Murray, Mathews and Darren Sproles gives Kelly a handful of backs who can gain the tough yards. In turn, that should make life significantly easier for new quarterback Sam Bradford.

Current Grade: A

Quarterback

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Grade at End of 2014: C

Chip Kelly is definitely taking a leap of faith with Sam Bradford as his quarterback, but there’s reason to believe the 27-year-old can have success in this system should he stay healthy. Bradford is a former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick, and while he’s coming off consecutive ACL tears, he does have a quick release and experience playing in a similar offense to what Kelly runs now.

Bradford’s NFL resume isn’t impressive, as he has just a 58.6 career completion percentage, 6.3 yards per attempt and a 79.3 passer rating. He’s 18-30-1 as a starter and has never had a winning record in a season. Then again, his supporting cast in St. Louis has certainly been subpar, and Bradford will be entering a very quarterback-friendly offense in Philadelphia.

The 2014 version of Nick Foles wasn’t the long-term answer at the quarterback position, and Mark Sanchez proved that he’s a capable backup but too turnover-prone to be a viable option for more than a spot start. Last year’s Philadelphia Eagles led the NFL in interceptions thrown, which was a major reason the team missed the playoffs.

In Bradford, Kelly likes to believe he has an accurate and poised quarterback with a quick release and the arm to make all the necessary throws. If Bradford can stay healthy, there’s a good chance he will put up good numbers in the Kelly offense.

Current Grade: B-

Cornerback

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Grade at End of 2014: D

By the end of the 2014 season, the cornerback position was arguably the biggest reason why the Philadelphia Eagles were losing football games. Cary Williams held his own, but Bradley Fletcher was too often exposed, finishing the season as Pro Football Focus’ leader in receiving yards allowed (1,072).

Both Williams and Fletcher are gone, though, and in their place are Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe. Maxwell is a $63 million free-agent signing whose tall frame (6'1", 207 lbs), long arms and experience in playing press coverage intrigued Chip Kelly enough to sign him. Kelly will be counting on Maxwell to be a lockdown corner who can match up with the division’s finest receivers.

Opposite Maxwell will be second-round rookie Eric Rowe, a similarly built player who has collegiate experience in playing both cornerback and safety. The Eagles will give Rowe every opportunity to win the starting job as a rookie; if he falters, there’s solid depth with Nolan Carroll and Brandon Boykin in the mix.

There are no guarantees that this unit is much better than the ’14 group that ranked second to last in the league in passing yards allowed, but the Eagles should at least see enough improvement to make the playoffs.

Current Grade: C

Inside Linebacker

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Grade at End of 2014: B

A case could be made that there are actually too many inside linebackers on the Philadelphia Eagles. Mychal Kendricks has developed into a Pro Bowl-quality player, although he’s been dangled in trade talks and doesn’t seem likely to be on the roster beyond the 2015 season.

DeMeco Ryans is coming off another serious injury. But he will be back on a restructured contract, and he’s a tremendous team captain. And new Eagle Kiko Alonso will be in the mix, as he’s had two NFL seasons so far—a top-notch rookie campaign and a season-ending ACL tear in Year 2.

There’s also third-round rookie Jordan Hicks from the University of Texas and free-agent acquisition Brad Jones from the Green Bay Packers. The likeliest scenario as of now is that Kendricks and Alonso are the starters, given that they’re the two most athletic of the bunch, with Ryans contributing on key snaps as a backup.

Current Grade: A