What to Expect from Philadelphia Eagles Defense in 2015

Chip Kelly made major strides this offseason to improve a Philadelphia Eagles team that won 10 games a year ago, but missed the playoffs due to a porous secondary. Cornerback Bradley Fletcher, in particular, was repeatedly torched in pass coverage and contributed to the Eagles finishing 31st in the National Football League in passing yards allowed.

So Kelly made some splashes over the last several months. He signed $63 million free-agent cornerback Byron Maxwell, traded for inside linebacker Kiko Alonso and spent every draft pick except his first on a defensive player.

That’s good for Eagles fans, as Philadelphia plays an NFC East with top-tier wide receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., DeSean Jackson and Dez Bryant.

Here’s an outline of what the Eagles defense looks like heading into the 2015 campaign.

Outlining the New Faces via Free Agency and Trades

New cornerback Byron Maxwell is the prize of free agency, as he’s a tall, long and physical corner who should be an excellent fit in Kelly and defensive coordinator Billy Davis’ press coverage. The Philadelphia Eagles dished out $63 million over six years to sign Maxwell, a member of Seattle’s Legion of Boom defense.

It’s quite a bit of a gamble, as Maxwell was just a one-year starter who didn’t post particularly outstanding numbers in coverage, per Pro Football Focus. Maxwell will be the Eagles’ No. 1 corner after playing second fiddle in Seattle to Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, so it’s a leap of faith on Kelly’s part to spend that kind of money on Maxwell.

Inside linebacker Kiko Alonso is another new starter who brings along an impressive resume. He was injured for 2014 (torn ACL), but was arguably the NFL’s top rookie on defense the previous season, racking up a ridiculous 159 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions.

Assuming he can rehab well from his season-ending injury, Alonso is an athletic linebacker who can cover tight ends, play the run and even rush the passer.

Looking at the Stars

Fletcher Cox is probably the best defensive player on the Philadelphia Eagles. He took that next step last year, as the former first-round pick was nearly unblockable from the 5-technique role. Cox registered four sacks, 39 quarterback hurries and 50 tackles, and he’s going to command a yearly contract in excess of $10 million with that kind of performance.

Outside linebacker Connor Barwin made his first Pro Bowl in 2014, leading the team with 14.5 sacks, while picking up two forced fumbles. He struggled at times in pass coverage but was relentless in pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Aside from those two, there are solid components of a defense that could surprise next season. Vinny Curry, Cedric Thornton and Bennie Logan round out a talented three-man front. Inside linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks are formidable players, with Kendricks flashing star potential.

Cornerback Byron Maxwell brings loads of potential, and newly extended outside linebacker Brandon Graham is one of the top pass-rushing specialists in the league.

Where Does Mychal Kendricks Fit In?

Three years into his NFL career, Mychal Kendricks looks to be one of the league’s rising stars at inside linebacker. He possesses 4.47 speed in the 40, which allows him to match up well with running backs and tight ends in the passing game, and he’s displayed a propensity for making big plays the last two seasons.

Since 2013, Kendricks has recorded eight sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles. Last year, he missed four games due to a nagging calf injury, and entering the final season of his rookie deal, he’s reportedly been the subject of trade talks all offseason, as NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport noted (via NFL.com's Dan Hanzus).

Chip Kelly has denied that, but then again, Kelly also said Nick Foles would be his quarterback for the next 1,000 years. The fact that Kelly traded for Kiko Alonso, drafted Texas’s Jordan Hicks in the third round and re-signed DeMeco Ryans to a one-year contract extension suggests he’s not satisfied with Kendricks as a starter.

Don’t be surprised if Kendricks opens the season as a backup or on another team via trade.

What to Expect From 2015 Rookies

Trading up five spots to acquire Utah’s Eric Rowe in the second round was a phenomenal move by Chip Kelly. Like Byron Maxwell, Rowe is that tall, long physical presence that should be able to play cornerback in the Philadelphia Eagles’ press-coverage scheme. Rowe also has experience playing safety, so it’s not inconceivable that he could eventually be moved to safety.

Expect Rowe to be given every opportunity to win the starting cornerback spot opposite Maxwell this training camp. Kelly may give Nolan Carroll first-team reps to start, as he believes in making rookies earn their spot, but Rowe is much more physically talented than any other options on the Eagles roster.

Jordan Hicks will likely have a limited role as a rookie, seeing as he’s buried on the depth chart behind Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks.

Sixth-round cornerbacks JaCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans could be battling for one roster spot, but there’s a good chance Shepherd becomes a fairly regular contributor at cornerback eventually. He ran a slow 40 time but was an above-average cover corner in college and projects to have a successful NFL career.

Seventh-round pick Brian Mihalik is a massive man who will be competing for one of the final spots as a defensive end, but it’s likely he simply makes the practice squad.

Who Will Play Strong Safety?

Good question. It’s likely that this is a season-long weakness for the Philadelphia Eagles, as Chip Kelly did little to address the position in free agency or via the NFL draft.

If the season started now, 2013 fifth-round pick Earl Wolff would likely get the starting nod, simply because he’s the only safety on the roster (other than starting free safety, Malcolm Jenkins) who has actually played in a game for the Eagles at safety.

It will probably be a camp competition between Wolff, Ed Reynolds and Jaylen Watkins. Reynolds was a fifth-round selection last year, but he never seemed to grasp the Eagles defense and as a result, he spent his rookie campaign on the practice squad.

Watkins was a fourth-round selection at cornerback last year, but he’s since added weight to bulk up and play strong safety. Other candidates in the mix include Jerome Couplin, an athletic freak who has already been on three teams in a year; Chris Maragos, a backup who largely plays special teams; and Chris Prosinski, a special teams player like Maragos.

The odds are likely that Wolff or Watkins wins the job, but either way, this could be a revolving door at the position all year.

Season Expectations

This is a much-better defense than given credit for, especially the front seven. The 2014 Philadelphia Eagles ranked second in the NFL in sacks (49) and first in both forced fumbles (26) and fumble recoveries (16), and they’ve added Kiko Alonso since then.

The secondary isn’t one of the league's better units, but the additions of Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe will definitely help. Kelly has always been an offensive-minded coach, so he’ll likely have his football team scoring close to 30 points per game.

He won’t need the defense to single-handedly win too many contests; rather, it will be the defense’s job to keep the Eagles in the game, while the offense puts up the points.