Here’s the interesting thing about Chip Kelly. More than one year into his employment as Eagles head coach, we still don’t really know him. We may think we do. But 15 months is hardly a large enough sample size for fans and media to stake claim to fully grasping Kelly’s long-term plan to shape the roster.
But I expect we’ll learn plenty more about him after the next few days.
Take his quarterback situation. I’m not buying reports of the Eagles' moving up to draft Johnny Manziel, but when it comes to the NFL rumor mill, I’m a big believer in the smoke-and-fire theory. There’s more than enough outside chatter suggesting that Kelly will eventually land the kind of athletic, mobile quarterback that he so masterfully built his Oregon offense around to completely dismiss rumors of his interest in Manziel or a similarly skilled QB.
What’s that mean for Nick Foles? Right now, it’s hard to tell. Kelly managed to produce the NFL’s fourth-ranked scoring offense with Foles delivering the football, and this draft isn’t chock full of mobile quarterbacks who are expected to make immediate impacts. Kelly knows he can score points and win games with Foles, even if he can’t incorporate as many read-option formations as he’d like.
But Foles played so well last year that he needs to be only fairly good in 2014 to command a hefty contract extension next offseason, with a signing bonus that would probably exceed $40 million. If Kelly isn’t sold on Foles as “the guy” to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl title, then he’s probably thinking about Plan B right now.
As we saw with DeSean Jackson, Kelly won’t bat an eyelash while saying goodbye to someone with plenty of talent and plenty of good years ahead.
I’ve got no idea if Kelly will make any blockbuster moves Thursday night or sometime in the draft, but I’d tune in with expectation of the unexpected.
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Here are some other draft-related questions I’ll attempt to answer:
Q. Who would the Eagles trade up for?
A. I think reports of the Eagles' moving up for Manziel or an elite wide receiver are smoke screens. It makes more sense that they’d target UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr or Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller. If they don’t land Barr, they might not be able to upgrade their pass rush in this draft. Of all the corner prospects, Fuller best fits their scheme. The 15th pick (Steelers) would probably be their target, just ahead of Dallas, which could easily take Barr or a safety.
Q. Which targeted player could slide to 22?
A. In his mock draft, Mike Mayock has safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix sliding to 22. If he does, he’s a no-brainer. (Just ask him). Same with Fuller, one of the only first-round corners who can play man-press, zone and slot. If both Clinton-Dix and Fuller are there at 22, they can’t lose with either one.
Q. Would the Eagles trade down or out?
A. In the scenario that Barr, Clinton-Dix and Fuller are each off the board before 22, the Eagles could either go with the best available wide receiver or move down. Assuming that Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. are also gone, the Eagles could be staring at Marqise Lee, Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin or a trade offer from some quarterback-needy team trying to get ahead of Cleveland (at 26). Knowing the Eagles, they’ll take the extra picks and get the wideout later.
Q. If they go receiver, who would it be?
A. I can’t see them mortgaging an entire draft to move into the top five or 10, so probably not Watkins or Evans. I think other teams have more ammo to move up for Beckham, but it wouldn’t totally shock me if the Eagles did move up to get him. Cooks and Lee are both Pac-12 guys, so either one could easily be Chip’s choice at 22. Receivers coach Bob Bicknell did enough homework on Cody Latimer that he can probably tell you Latimer’s blood type, but 22 seems too high for the Indiana product. At one point, I thought Benjamin was a lock for the Eagles at 22, but now I’m not as sure. To recap: If they move up, it’s Beckham. Stand pat, either Cooks or Lee. If they move down, it’s Benjamin or Latimer.
Q. Any surprises?
A. C.J. Mosley and Ryan Shazier intrigue me, especially Shazier. Both have the athleticism and versatility Kelly loves and either could be a great successor to DeMeco Ryans. But I still question whether the organization is anti-coverage linebacker in the first round, and with Mychal Kendricks coming into his own, I can’t see the Eagles using a first-rounder at the same position.
Q. So when it’s all said and done, who are they taking?
A. If they move up, it’s for Barr. If they stick at 22, it’s Fuller or Clinton-Dix. If they move down, it’s Benjamin or Latimer.
(Unless, of course, it’s Manziel)