Spot secure, Mychal Kendricks not worried about anything

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During OTAs two months ago, Mychal Kendricks was unsure if he'd be playing with the Eagles this season.

On Sunday, when the Eagles held their first practice of training camp, Kendricks found out his spot on the team is secure. Or as secure as any player's can be.

Before practice, head coach Chip Kelly said Kendricks "is not going anywhere."

“You can write that down in ink, not pencil," Kelly said. "He’s not going anywhere."

Shortly thereafter, Kelly told Kendricks the same and warned him about facing questions after practice.

"Yeah he told me. I'm here man," Kendricks said. "I think he reiterated it just now, letting me know that you guys are going to be asking these questions."

The next question naturally concerned Kendricks' contract, which expires after this season. During OTAs he said he hadn't been approached about an extension, and on Sunday he chose not to discuss the issue.

"That doesn't even matter man," Kendricks said. "We're here to play ball and to do the best that we can do while we're here. After the season is after the season. We'll worry about that then. Until then I'm just going to ball out like I've been doing."

It's tough to argue with that.

Two years ago Kendricks joined William Thomas and Seth Joyner as the only players in franchise history with at least four sacks and three interceptions in one season. Last year, despite suffering a severe calf injury that sidelined him for four games and slowed him in others, he finished second on the team with 108 tackles, according to the coaches' count, and tied for second with three forced fumbles.

A source on Saturday told CSN's Derrick Gunn that the Eagles want to keep Kendricks as an insurance policy for DeMeco Ryans, who is recovering from his second career Achilles injury. Ryans appears fully recovered; he said wasn't limited by the injury during Sunday's practice.

"I did everything today," said Ryans, who didn't foresee a move involving Kendricks.

"I wasn't expecting Mychal to go anywhere either, so I never for a second thought he would be going anywhere. It's great to have Mychal and Kiko (Alonso) there."

If Ryans remains healthy, the three would rotate in some manner at inside linebacker. Ryans and Alonso likely would be the starters, but it would behoove the Eagles not to overwork Ryans, who turned 31 last Tuesday. 

Hence the rotation.

"Yeah I'm cool. I'm going to ball-out regardless. It may give us a completely different look," Kendricks said.

"Anytime you can add another player it's going to help. Kiko's good. He's a good player. Bottom line."

Kendricks spent much of Sunday's practice on the second team. 

"We're just rotating. I don't even know if there is a one or a two or a three," he said. "I'm with the rookies, they're with the rookies — we're all rotating."

The Eagles added even more depth at inside linebacker this offseason by signing Brad Jones and drafting Jordan Hicks. Plus, they also have Najee Goode and Emmanuel Acho.

Kelly cited depth at cornerback as the reason he felt comfortable trading Brandon Boykin to Pittsburgh after turning down the Steelers' previous offers. For Kendricks, that decision wasn't a cause for concern.

"I wasn't worried about it," Kendricks said. "We're two different players, two different positions, two different people. This is a business man. You guys know what time it is. The craziest stuff happens in this business, and it's not a surprise when it happens either because it's too be expected. We're all renting space. It's just what it is."

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