FanPost

How to Fix the Eagles


After the shortest tenure in Philadelphia Eagles history, Chip Kelly is no longer the head coach / GM of the Eagles. Once we get through the anger and the "You were the chosen one!" reactions, here's what we're most likely left with: a blank slate. Pat Shurmur and Billy Davis will be gone as soon as the clock strikes 0:00 in the Giants game. Ed Marynowitz is gone. More heads will roll as the days and weeks go on.

It looks like Jeff Lurie will be heading the search for a new coach along with Don Smolenski and Howie Roseman. We can get into the whole "Wait, aren't these the same people who hired Kelly?" argument later, but for right now I'd like to focus on how to make the Eagles competitive as soon as possible. I won't give my thoughts on coaching candidates at the moment as I have done enough research yet either.

Strategy

Switch Back to the 4-3

One of the many things that bothered me from Chip Kelly's tenure was his insistence on running a 3-4, two-gapping system when his personnel was much more fitted to a 4-3 system from the start. While the 3-4 offers more ability to disguise blitzes, Billy Davis didn't do it justice. We didn't blitz nearly often enough, and even when we did, we didn't get home and sack the quarterback nearly enough.

A switch back to the 4-3 will cover up a glaring weakness in our defense: Lack of an elite pass rushing OLB. Brandon Graham has improved as an OLB, but is still better suited for the 4-3 where he can get after the QB on almost every down. As much as I like Connor Barwin, he has shown that last year's sack total was an anomaly.

In moving to a 4-3, we would be looking at a front seven that would look something like this:

DE Brandon Graham, DT Fletcher Cox, DT Bennie Logan, DE Vinny Curry

OLB Mychal Kendricks, MLB Jordan Hicks, OLB Kiko Alonso

Help (Hide?) Byron Maxwell

Something that has become abundantly clear this season is that Byron Maxwell is not a #1 / "shutdown" CB. He has struggled throughout the year with coverage and infuriated Eagles fans with his tackling effort. However, for better or worse, the Eagles are stuck with him for at least 1 more year ($9.7M cap hit / $13.3M dead cap if cut this year). So we need to work with Maxwell for next year, and the best way to do this is to stick him on the #2 WR.

So, who's going to cover the #1 WR on each team? Are we going to sign Josh Norman???? Hell no. Throwing money at the problem will not fix it. I say that you stick Eric Rowe on the #1 WR with safety help / double team most of the time. Draft a CB to groom behind Rowe / Maxwell for the year and hope he can take over for Maxwell next year.

Go Back to a Traditional SS / FS Split

Let me say this: I like Malcolm Jenkins and Walter Thurmond. I think they're both playmakers and have good coverage skills. That's just the problem though: They are redundant. I want to bring in a sure-tackling / "thumper" strong safety, which would improve the tackling ability of the entire secondary. Far too many tackles were missed in the secondary this year (since Dawkins left?), and we need to bring in a safety with some attitude and energy. I'm not saying we need to find the next Dawkins (I wish), but we need someone who isn't afraid to get his nose dirty.

Concentrate on Tackling

My God, I understand turnovers are important, but stop going for the strip on EVERY tackle... And then miss the tackle. That's all I have on this one.

Run a Pro-Style Offense

OK, here's the "Chip Kelly's System Doesn't Work" part of the program. We've all heard the arguments, so I'll just enumerate them here quickly:

  1. Speed of offense makes life tough on the defense
  2. Offense ran only a few plays / too simplistic
  3. Running out of shotgun wasn't DeMarco Murray's favorite thing to do
  4. Predictable snap count
  5. Yadda yadda yadda

Add Young Talent to the Offensive Line

We all know that the offensive line is aging and talent-deprived. We need to add some big bodies to the mix in the draft. Start rebuilding this team from the lines on out. I think we have the ability to draft either a LT or RT with a high pick, and move Lane Johnson to LT if need be.

Need for Speed

Add a speedy WR to the mix. Right now, nobody can stretch the field. Agholor might be able to do it eventually, but I wouldn't consider him a burner. We need someone to open up the underneath / intermediate routes and help keep opposing defenses from cramming 8 men in the box.

Personnel

Let Them Walk / Trade If Possible

Jason Peters - Oh man. Jason has been one of my favorite players for a long time now. When healthy, he's dominant. But he'll be 34 next year, suddenly has a lot of injury issues, and has a cap hit of $9.5M ($3M of dead money if cut). I'd like to see him at guard, but age and cost are too high.

Darrent Sproles -This one kills me too, but $4.5M in cap for a 33 year old running back just isn't worth it when you're rebuilding (and spent a ton on Murray / Mathews). Draft a late round RB to replace him. If you're going to keep him, make sure you use him as a slot receiver more often.

Brent Celek - Yep, another one that sucks. Celek has been a great Eagle for a long time, but he'll be 31 next year and has a $4.8M cap hit. Time to replace him.

Cedric Thorton - I like the guy, but he's a free agent that likely won't be worth the price. If he wants to stay for a cheap-ish deal, keep him... Otherwise, cut him loose.

Walter Thurmond - I like Thurmond, and there's a lack of safety talent across the NFL... but I think we need a bigger body in there. Could be convinced to keep him for a short term deal and move him around in nickel situations.

Nolan Carroll - Free agent that is just another guy really. Eric Rowe has stepped up in his absence and played better in my opinion.

Riley Cooper - Not talented enough, better / younger / cheaper options on the team already.

Seyi Ajirotutu - Special teamer with no other value.

Marcus Smith - Couldn't get on the field in a 3-4, won't have a chance in the 4-3.

Jaylen Watkins - Makes Maxwell look like a good tackler.

Resign / Extend / Franchise

Sam Bradford - Ugh. Franchise him. Quarterbacks are tough to come by, and this year's draft class is terrible. Depending on what the new coach wants in a QB, I'm not against slapping the franchise tag on him for a year and seeing what he can do from under center. God, it hurts to write that.

Vinny Curry - Better fit for a 4-3, he can get to the quarterback. Yet to be seen if he can do it full-time, but give the man a shot.

Najee Goode - I can't really figure out why, but I like him. Cheap backup OLB with special teams ability.

Matt Tobin - Don't break the bank for him... He's a backup guard at best.

Fletcher Cox - Not a FA until 2017, but pay that man his money.

Big FA Acquisitions

NONE. It's not worth it (see Murray and Maxwell). Bring in young players in the draft and sign roster depth / competition. No "home runs".

Draft

The Eagles have 8 picks in the 2016 draft. I'd like to focus on coming out with the best player available, but I consider our most pressing needs to be (not in order really):

  1. Offensive Line (2 - 3 players -- OT definitely)
  2. QB (if the right one is available)
  3. DE / Pass rusher
  4. CB
  5. Strong Safety
  6. Speed WR (unless you think it's Agholor)
  7. RB (late rounder / UDFA)
  8. TE (late rounder)

Conclusion

The defense will benefit from not playing 10 million snaps a season, but we can help the pass rush out more by switching to a 4-3. More pass rush should help the secondary, but I'd like to see a bigger strong safety in the mix and more double teaming of the #1 receiving option.

The offense will benefit the most from a revamped offensive line. Bradford is a much better QB when he has time, and Murray will benefit by getting away from the shotgun hand-offs. Get someone to stretch the field vertically to free up some space underneath.

Meh, ran out of time to work on the post, but these are just my quick musings. Hope you enjoyed.