The Linc - Does Nick Foles Hold the Ball Too Long?

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Coaching Can Make A Difference - Tommy Lawlor, Iggles Blitz
Remember all the nonsense last year about how Chip Kelly wasn’t doing enough live hitting in Training Camp and that would hurt the Eagles? Chip focused on bringing in tough, physical players. If you do that, you don’t have to work on their toughness. They just are. The Eagles coaches focused on fundamentals. They stressed getting in proper position. They stressed proper technique. Players were taught how to tackle, a skill that is lacking across all levels of football. The results speak for themselves. Nate Allen didn’t suddenly turn into Brian Dawkins, but his tackling did improve.

Eagles notes: Don't expect defense-heavy draft, more draft visits, and a high-character player to consider - JimmyK, Philly.com
This draft is loaded with talent at the WR position, and many feel it is also stacked along the offensive line. If the Eagles stay true to their "best player available" mandate, and from all indications they will, it is looking unlikely that they load up on defense this year, even if the defense needs significantly more help than the offense.

Understanding "Football Reasons"- Was Foles Holding the Ball Too Long? - ChipWagon
As we spend the next week leading up to the draft pondering what "football reasons" Jeff Lurie, Chip Kelly, and Howie Roseman used to justify the outright release of Desean Jackson, one of the unvalidated hypotheses circling the wagons is the idea that Chip doesn't want to rely on the long-ball offense. Since Chip was hired, much was made about his 1.5 second rule. The thinking goes that Chip prefers a quick strike offense and wants the ball out of the QBs hands in less than 1.5 seconds to avoid the cardinal sin of taking a QB sack.

Draft Daily: On OLBs And Tight Ends - Tim McManus, Birds 24/7
I won't be shocked if the Eagles take a tight end in this draft. When you're going best player available, oftentimes that player is not at a position of need. And they've been checking some prospects out. Ted Williams, as an example, not only went to Fresno State's Pro Day to look at 6-6, 259-pound tight end Marcel Jensen (projected as a fifth or sixth-round pick) but also spent time with him for hours afterwards, we were told. Chip Kelly values the position, as we've seen, and wouldn't shy away from adding a tight end to the fold if he's the top player on the board.

Foles: Eagles will make big plays without DeSean - CSN Philly
Nick Foles won’t see DeSean Jackson blazing down the sideline next year, at least not until the Eagles and Redskins play their division games. But he doesn’t anticipate the Eagles’ offense, which smashed franchise records last season for offensive yards and points scored, to suffer from Jackson’s defection to the rival Redskins.

Foles Stands Tall In Starting Role - Dave Spadaro, PE.com
He hasn't flinched, not from the very first time we saw Nick Foles as a floppy-haired rookie from Arizona. Entering his third season, Foles is as rock solid as they come at the quarterback position ...

2013 Broken Tackles: Defense  - Aaron Schatz, FO
Chip Kelly's new regime changed a lot of things about the Eagles; one of the changes that may not have been as noticeable is that the Eagles suddenly figured out how to tackle. The Eagles were near the bottom of the league in broken tackles after leading the league in both 2011 and 2012.

Jumps Off the Tape, Bishop Sankey: Making people miss - Danny Kelly, SB Nation NFL
Danny Kelly's "Jumps Off the Tape" series continues with a look at Washington's Bishop Sankey, who possesses the kind of agility and vision that will make NFL teams notice.