2015 Offseason Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

As part of the Offseason Preview series, Marcy Cere, a good friend and huge Eagles fanatic asked what Philly has been up to this offseason. Aside from signing three of the five quarterbacks with the worst QBR for a season in the last five years, this is how the offseason is shaping up for the Eagles.

2015 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES OFFSEASON PREVIEW


The Eagles have seen a boost in success since Head Coach Chip Kelly came bursting on the scene. They posted an impressive 10-6 record even with a slew of injuries to key players, the biggest of which was quarterback Nick Foles. Although Philadelphia had a 10 win season, it wasn't good enough to make the playoffs, which is a let down to most fans. The Eagles front office started the off-season with a bang by trading superstar running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills, in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. They followed that up by signing the league leader in rushing yards, DeMarco Murray, and trading Nick Foles along with draft picks to St. Louis for Sam Bradford. There is a feeling of confusion by some fans, but all in all, Philly is making the right moves to better position themselves atop the NFC East.

Key Departures- RB LeSean McCoy (traded to Buffalo); TE James Casey (free-agent); CB Carey Williams (signed with Seattle); S Nate Allen (signed with Oakland); CB Bradley Fletcher (signed with New England); WR Jeremy Maclin (signed with Kansas City); LB Trent Cole (signed with Indianapolis); G Todd Herremans (signed with Indianapolis)


Key Additions- CB Byron Maxwell; LB Kiko Alonso (trade from Buffalo); RB Ryan Mathews; RB DeMarco Murray; DE Brandon Graham (re-signed); QB Mark Sanchez (re-signed); CB Walter
Thurmond; WR Miles Austin.


Eagles on Draft Day

The Eagles own the 20th pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. There has been a lot of recent speculation that Philly might try to trade up to select Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, but after the latest moves from the Eagles i think we can dispel that rumor. Already carrying four quarterbacks after signing Tim Tebow to a contract, I think there is no chance Philly would be willing to part ways with multiple draft picks to take Mariota. As i dug into the Eagles depth chart i noticed a few things worth noting.

The 20th pick is going to be an interesting spot. Philadelphia has amazing talent throughout their roster, but one spot that popped out to me was the safety position. In the right scenario, the Eagles could wind up having Landon Collins (Safety, Alabama) fall right into their lap. Collins is the best safety in this years class and he would schematically fit in Philadelphia's defense. Collins is a ball hawk in coverage and can come into the box and provide above average run support for a defensive back. Pairing Collins with Malcolm Jenkins would be a perfect role, since they can both play deep zones, and cover tight ends, slot receivers and running backs. If Collins is available at 20, I'd be shocked if his name wasn't called by Commissioner Goddell.

Looking deeper into the draft strategy, Philly owns seven more picks in 2015. Losing Jeremy Maclin was huge blow to Chip Kelly's high octane offense. Since Kelly took over in Philadelphia, his number one receiver posted career highs (DeSean Jackson in 2013, and Maclin in 2014). The offense has always had weapons, but there isn't much talent in the receiving corps outside of Jordan
Matthews. Look for the Eagles to be very aggressive in the second round. If a player like Jalen Strong  (Arizona State) or Dorial Beckham-Green (Missouri) is still available, they would surely look to package a draft pick or two to move up. Adding a bigger bodied receiver could really change the way the depth chart looks. If a first-round caliber player isn't there, there are still some options for Philly. Nelson Agholor (USC) is a guy who is shooting up draft boards that could still be available in the second round. One player that might need a little time to develop, but would be an interesting project for Pat Shurmur to work with is Darren Waller (Georgia Tech). He definitely needs to polish his game up, but he is a huge target with good hands, and could be a red-zone receiver while he works out the kinks in the rest of his game.

With the addition of Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, you may think the the Eagles would be set at corner. I think they need to add depth to the roster, and could find some sleepers in days 2-3. I think one of the obvious prospects on Chip Kelly's radar would be Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, because of the level of talent he possesses, and because Kelly loves his Oregon players. Ekpre-Olomu was hurt during practice for the Rose Bowl, and although his knee injury has left him unable to work out for teams, Kelly knows how talented he is, and adding him to a revamped secondary could give them a huge boost in pass protection. Digging deeper into the draft, Josh Shaw (USC) and Doran Grant (Ohio State) could both be late round steals.

Philly has stacked up on linebackers this offseason, and have great pass-rushers as well. The only part of the run defense they could use help with is at defensive tackle. Bennie Logan is a good tackle, but they should look to add depth behind him. I don't see the Eagles looking to add a tackle early in the draft, but if a player such as Danny Shelton falls to 20th (a long shot but not impossible), I do think they would give it serious consideration. Some defensive tackles could be available day three, and could give support to the defensive line rotation. Grady Jarrett (Clemson) is projected as a 2nd-3rd round pick, but is a run stuffing force. Mario Edwards Jr. (Florida State) is a versatile lineman who could play tackle or end, but needs help with conditioning if he wants to be more than a rotational player. Also keep an eye out for David Parry (Stanford) and James Castleman (Oklahoma State) as guys who would be a developmental player, and would likely be competing for a roster spot in the preseason.


The Eagles have a very talented squad, and one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the league. They're literally one or two pieces away from being serious Super Bowl contenders. The 2015 NFL Draft will be pivotal in the success of Philadelphia, not only for the 2015 season, but for the long term success of the franchise. Although there are questions surrounding the quarterback position, Chip Kelly has said he wants to run the ball frequently, and who better to do that than last years leading rusher DeMarco Murray. I do believe the Eagles are one of the more interesting teams to watch in 2015.