Philadelphia Eagles have no plans to move on from Chip Kelly, per report

The Philadelphia Eagles have no plans to move on from Chip Kelly, according to a report from NFL insider Jason La Canfora. Kelly is expected to be back as the team's head coach and de facto general manager in 2016. From the CBS report:

Despite months of rumors and speculation, Chip Kelly is likely to be back with the Eagles next season, according to team and league sources, and ownership has no plans to move on from him. If Kelly were to depart -- and college does have a certain allure to him, though it would have to be the perfect situation -- it would come as a surprise at this point. The coach reiterated his dedication to his players last week and owner Jeffrey Lurie is still a strong proponent of Kelly.

Lurie, though aware of some of the discord in his locker room, is not mulling a change at this point, even after two blowout losses the last two weeks, according to sources close to the owner, and that is unlikely to change down the stretch. Lurie is very loyal and believes in Kelly long-term, even if players have their concerns, and he did not hand Kelly total control to the roster a few months ago to consider launching a new search for a coach and GM now. That process holds no attraction for him, and while he is displeased by the disappointing results the last three weeks and Kelly's inability to identify a quarterback of the future, he remains optimistic that a quick change could be on the horizon, particularly in a division as suspect as the NFC East.

This report echoes a recent report from the Philadelphia Daily News which indicates Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie still believes in Kelly.

There's no question the Eagles have had a very disappointing 2015 season. Expectations were high and Kelly has fallen way short as both a coach and a general manager. After finishing 10-6 in each of his first two seasons with Philadelphia, Kelly can only go 9-7 at best after the team has started 4-7. Though technically still alive in the playoff hunt, the Eagles are probably closer to earning a top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

But it shouldn't be a total shock that the Eagles are reportedly planning to stick with Kelly. As discussed before, Lurie has a penchant for being patient. He didn't entrust Kelly with so much power only to take it away after one bad season.

With that said, it feels like the five games remaining in this season should have some bearing on Kelly's future. It's hard to justify a Kelly return if the team keeps getting blown out like the Eagles have been defeated the past two weeks. If Kelly can get his team to fight hard down the stretch, the Eagles can better justify keeping him.

It's always possible Kelly could leave on his own, but there's been no evidence of him being interested in returning to the college ranks. Kelly denied ever having interest in the USC head coaching vacancy. He also recently told his players that he plans on staying in Philadelphia.

One NFL insider recently suggested Kelly being traded to the Tennessee Titans can't be ruled out, though it obviously isn't likely.

For what it's worth, a recent poll conducted here on Bleeding Green Nation revealed that Eagles fans are willing to give Kelly more time. Out of 3387 total votes, 66% of fans voted in favor of Kelly's return.

Kelly has two more years remaining on his contract following the conclusion of this current season. If he returns, there will be a ton of pressure on him to fix this roster and turn things around for next year.