This year has been a disaster for the Philadelphia Eagles. And the root of the problem has been their most recent off-season.
Last January Chip Kelly was given control over football operations. He’s operated their personnel decisions into the ground. The players Kelly brought in haven’t worked out. Likewise, the decisions he made on which players should leave town have been equally as catastrophic.
Kelly was brought to the NFL with the reputation as an offensive mastermind. But they are 23rd in offensive efficiency, which is down from 12th last year and third in Kelly’s first season in charge. As a result, Philadelphia has already matched their loss total from each of the last two years.
The Eagles have also committed the most turnovers in the league since the start of last season.
The main culprit is Sam Bradford, who already has 10 interceptions and seven fumbles. Bradford has the league’s third-worst total QBR at 37.4 and has missed the last two games with yet another injury. He’s been the ire of Eagles fans’ displeasure even at a recent Philadelphia marathon.
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The Eagles acquired Bradford from the Rams for Nick Foles and a second-round pick in March, and the only silver lining here is the fact that Foles has been equally bad.
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After signing Ryan Matthews, Philly gave DeMarco Murray a five-year, $42-million contract, half of which is fully guaranteed. But last year’s rushing champion has just one 100-yard rushing game so far this season—he had 12 such games with the Cowboys in 2014.
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Once known for his fearless running style, Murray it seems is making more calculated decisions with his effort on the field—which is great for his long-term health, but bad for his short-term reputation.
But what about the skill players who’ve moved on? Last Sunday alone is an indication that Kelly might want a mulligan on the offensive stars he discarded the last two years.
| Player | Week 12 stat line |
|---|---|
| LeSean McCoy | 19 rushes, 70 yards, receiving TD |
| Jeremy Maclin | 9 receptions, 160 yards, TD |
| DeSean Jackson | 2 receptions, 66 yards, TD |
A big reason for the lack of production for those left behind is poor line play after the departures of offensive guards Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans. Both have found success on the Broncos and Colts, respectively, just as many NFL watchers knew they would based on past performance.
To make matters worse, the Eagles defence hasn’t been any better than the offence. The unit managed to give up 90 points and 10 TDs in a five-day span last week—a new low for the franchise as they allowed 45 points in consecutive weeks for the first time ever.
And the off-season newcomers haven’t helped things here, either. In exchange for the 26-year-old McCoy, Kelly received former Oregon Duck Kiki Alonso. But coming off a partially torn ACL, Alonso has just 17 tackles and zero sacks to his name and has missed five games.
Former Seahawks defensive back Byron Maxwell signed a six-year, $63-million deal in the off-season, but he’s managed only a single INT while getting eaten alive by opposing receivers. After his much-hyped matchup with Julio Jones all Maxwell could do was laugh.
Not depressed yet? Well, here you go: A recent report by an anonymous agent that says Chip has lost the team. So, it appears, has Bradford.
Despite all, the 4-7 Eagles are just a game behind the Redskins for the lead in the NFC East. But placement in an under-performing division can’t sugar-coat the fact the team is trending sharply downward. To find their way back to prominence the 2016 off-season has to make up for past sins.