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The 2014 NFL offseason has begun for the Eagles, which means Chip Kelly and his staff will spend the next couple of weeks evaluating the 2013 roster. While the team was able to manage a 10-6 record along with an NFC East crown, there are still many ways the Eagles roster could be improved upon. By the time NFL free agency starts on March 11, the Eagles will have a good idea of which players they'll want to bring back for the 2014 season. Today we'll continue this offseason review series by looking at the center position.
The Players
Jason Kelce - 26
Stats: 1119 snaps, 1 out of 35 centers by PFF, 7 penalties, 3 sacks allowed, 1 QB hit allowed, 8 QB hurries allowed
Review: Jason Kelce is the perfect mold of a center in Chip Kelly's offense and it showed in 2013. The Eagles ran for an average gain of 6.09 yards with rushing plays that went up the middle. Kelce's athleticism is a great asset that allows him to move and make blocks in space. Kelce's performance was especially impressive considering he came back from an ACL injury that caused him to miss most of the 2012 season. Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was very excited to work with Kelce when he took the job last year. He praised Kelce's tireless work ethic and communication skills. There's no question Kelce is deserving of a new contract.
Julian Vandervelde - 26
Stats: 8 snaps
Review: Vandervelde beat out Dallas Reynolds in training camp to earn the backup center job. Vandervelde barely played, but somehow suffered a back injury that kept him inactive late in the season.
David Molk - 25
Review: Molk worked out for the Eagles prior to their Week 2 game against the Chargers. Molk spent all of 2013 without a contract but signed a futures/reserve deal with the Eagles after their season ended. Expect Molk to seriously compete for the backup center job.
Who Could Leave
Julian Vandervelde is a very nice guy, a great singer, and he is also Batman. But it will be interesting to see if the Eagles think they could improve at backup center.
Who Could Sign
The Eagles don't need much help here.