After three seasons under Chip Kelly, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to hit the reset button and start over, which has significantly lowered their NFL online sportsbook odds of making the playoffs next season.
The Eagles appear to be fine with the low expectations they have going into next season, as they get rid of the remaining traces of the Chip Kelly era.
In addition to hiring Doug Peterson as their new head coach, the Eagles also got rid of most of the players that Kelly brought in last season.
DeMarco Murray is now playing for the Tennessee Titans, Kiko Alonso has been shipped to Miami, and the Eagles seem to have turned the chapter on the Kelly era.
With the Eagles in full rebuilding mode, they have a lot of holes that need to be filled. The general consensus among industry insiders is that the team will draft an offensive lineman with their first round pick. Most experts have the team drafting former Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley with their first round pick.
The reason why most experts think Philadelphia will draft an offensive lineman is the fact that Kelly let two of the team’s best offensive linemen go, contributing to the poor play of the offensive line last season.
A couple of seasons ago, the Eagles had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, but Kelly’s refusal to give Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans contract extensions, led to the players being released and the decline of the offensive line.
While Kelly kept Pro-Bowler Jason Peters on the team, Peters is aging and isn’t as good as he used to be, which means his days of anchoring the offensive line are over.
There are no guarantees that the Eagles will draft Ronnie Stanley, but from what I have seen, he will be a great fit on the Eagles offensive line. When Stanley went up against the best defensive linemen in college, he was a brick wall and protected his quarterbacks very well. He has the size, speed, and technique to go up against the bigger linemen in the NFL, and he is very athletic.
Initially, I didn’t think he would be available when the Eagles made their selection at #13, but their trade with the Miami Dolphins allowed them to swap picks, moving up to #8. Now, the Eagles are in a great position to grab Stanley.
Most Eagles fans acknowledge that the team needs a new offensive lineman, but a lot of fans are also clamoring for the team to draft a player like Ezekiel Elliot, who is considered the best running back in the draft.
Assuming the Eagles draft Elliot, how effective is he going to be behind that line the Eagles currently have?
Eagles fans also have to remember that Doug Peterson is an Andy Reid disciple, and Reid believes that games are won in the trenches, which is why he always takes linemen with early picks.
If Stanley is gone by the time the Eagles make their selection, expect Peterson to address another one of the team’s big needs, which is the secondary. Vernon Hargreaves is a player that will fit in Philadelphia’s system, so don’t be surprised if the team selects him with their top pick.
