Mychal Kendricks, Eagles Agree on New Contract: Details, Comments, Reaction

Linebacker Mychal Kendricks is going to be a Philadelphia Eagle for quite some time.

Adam Caplan of ESPN reported Monday the Eagles agreed to a four-year, $29 million contract extension with the former California Golden Bear. What’s more, $16.4 million is guaranteed.

The team confirmed the news, and teammate Fletcher Cox congratulated Kendricks:

“I truly believe in what we’re doing here," Kendricks said when asked why he opted out of exploring free agency, via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. "I feel like I’m a part of something special and I feel like we’re doing things that no other entity in the league is doing. There’s no other team doing the things that we’re doing, and I’m happy to be a part of it, and I really believe in this team. I just feel like we’re on a path to greatness. I feel it."

The Eagles selected Kendricks in the second round of the 2012 draft, and he rewarded them with three productive seasons. Here is a look at his numbers thus far, per Pro-Football-Reference.com:

Year	Games	Tackles	Interceptions	Forced Fumbles	Fumble Recoveries	Sacks
2012	15	58	0	0	0	1
2013	15	86	3	2	4	4
2014	12	62	0	3	0	4

Kendricks is capable of stuffing the run from the inside linebacker spot, but the thing that immediately jumps out about his game is his overall speed. He effectively covers sideline to sideline and can chase down running backs in space or cover tight ends in passing situations. He is a versatile playmaker who is capable of remaining on the field for all three downs.

Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly reassured Eagles fans during his first press conference of training camp that Kendricks would be around for the long-term future, per Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com: “Mychal Kendricks is not going anywhere. I can tell you that right now. You can write that down in ink, not pencil. Mych's not going anywhere. " 

Kelly clearly lived up to his word given Monday’s news.

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk pointed out that this is an ideal match: "That’s a good deal for a player coach Chip Kelly inherited when he took over in 2013, considering how many of those players he inherited Kelly has sent packing. But Kelly has consistently said that he thinks Kendricks is an important part of the team’s future, and now the Eagles have demonstrated that."

It is easy for Eagles supporters to get excited about their overall depth at linebacker now, especially since the team extended DeMeco Ryans’ contract and traded for Kiko Alonso this offseason. Albert Breer of NFL Network praised Kelly for building the team’s depth at the position:

It’s not just the talented depth that stands out but the youth too. Kendricks is 24 years old, Alonso is 25, Connor Barwin is 28, and Brandon Graham is 27. The Eagles should theoretically be set at the linebacker spot for years to come, and Kendricks now figures to be a major part of that for the foreseeable future.