Eagles News: Chip Kelly is very optimistic about Sam Bradford's return

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Eagles rookie player comparisons: Nelson Agholor edition - PhillyVoice
A number of you have asked what players the Eagles rookies remind me of so far. We're only a few practices into OTAs at this point in the offseason, and the Eagles haven't run enough team drills to really get a great in-person sense of what they'll be as pros. However, I do have some initial thoughts on players comps. We'll start with Nelson Agholor. Many people compared Agholor to Jeremy Maclin and Reggie Wayne, but the comparison I like the best is the Broncos' Emmanuel Sanders. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com first made that comparison way back in February.

Chip Kelly says Sam Bradford "right on track" in recovery, "optimistic" about Bradford's return - Inquirer
In March, the Eagles were optimistic that Bradford would be healthy for training camp, which begins Aug. 2. Kelly did not shoot down that date down when he was asked about it. "I'm very optimistic with Sam in terms of his progress," Kelly said. "As I said, he's gotten better every day." Bradford's recovery time seems to be longer than other players who underwent surgery for the same injury. Jeremy Maclin was a full participant this time last year. Linebacker Travis Long was injured after Bradford last year and is a full participant this spring. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is back at practice even though he tore his ACL three months after Bradford.

Running Diary: Eagles Practice Observations - Birds 24/7
Marcus Smith II definitely did more today than he had been doing because of a groin injury. He's even seeing some time with the ones during 11-on-11s in place of Connor Barwin.

Monday OTAs Roundup - Iggles Blitz
Barkley drew praise from a few people. Maybe the light is finally going on for him. I don’t think he lacks the physical ability to play in the NFL. I think he has to play the right way. In college. Barkley was gifted enough to be an aggressive QB. He doesn’t have the physical traits to play that way at this level. He needs to find the open guy and get him the ball. Simple as that. Forget big plays and highlight moments. Just move the chains and good things will happen.

DeMarco Murray all business compared to LeSean McCoy - CSN Philly
The initial narrative went like this: LeSean McCoy danced too much and cost too much and he had to go. That was the explanation when Chip Kelly shipped the franchise’s all-time leading rusher to Buffalo. It is up to you how much of that was honest and how much was spin and how much you should believe. But if any of that was true, so is this: McCoy and DeMarco Murray are, at least outwardly, very different people.

The Big Question: Tebow's Chances - PE.com
I think Tebow has every chance of forcing his way onto the roster if he plays well enough, as much of a cop-out as that is. I think the race for the third quarterback job will be a true meritocracy, and if Tebow can outplay Matt Barkley throughout the summer and the preseason, he’ll be the man for the job. But in order to do that, he has a long way to go. I think Barkley has looked pretty good here in the spring and he certainly has more experience in the offense. We’ve seen flashes from Tebow so far, but he hasn’t yet shown the consistency to push Barkley aside. I think it’s fair to expect a learning curve from Tebow after he was out of the league for a year, but it will not be easy for him to make the roster. He’ll have to earn it.

USWNT Member Julie Johnston: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com
Johnston gets her support from her boyfriend Zach Ertz, whom she met in California in 2013. Ertz, who was a standout tight end at Stanford and was a second-round draft pick for the Eagles, is able to identify with some of Johnston’s anxieties. In 2013, Zach was training for the NFL Draft, and Johnston was working daily to improve her game for Team USA. Now, Ertz’s and Johnston’s ascension has been side-by-side, and they keep each other focused and grounded while they both work towards their dreams. The two live in Philadelphia as they take major steps in their career. This week, Johnston steps into the national spotlight for Team USA. In the fall, it’s Ertz’s turn, as he competes with Brent Celek to take over the starting TE spot in Chip Kelly’s offense.

Ndamukong Suh headlines most indispensable defensive players - NFL.com
I cringed when Cox's name was thrown around in trade talks this offseason. Cox is a disruptive diamond in the middle of the Eagles' defense. He's also the best player on the team. No, Cox doesn't get enough credit for his greatness. The raw stats don't tell the story here. I voted for him as a first-team All-Pro last year. Philadelphia's defense simply couldn't function without him.

Which teams remodeled their backfields this year? - SB Nation
Rather than add new parts to an existing threat, Chip Kelly's strategy at running back was to blow up the whole position and start fresh. He shocked many when he made a trade that sent three-time Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills after McCoy took nearly two-thirds of the rushing attempts for the Eagles in 2014. The Eagles filled the void by signing DeMarco Murray, the NFL's leading rusher in 2014, to a five-year, $40 million deal. The team also signed former San Diego Chargers starter Ryan Mathews to a three-year, $11 million contract. Those two free agent acquisitions join a backfield that already features Darren Sproles, who has made a career out of being a change-of-pace option for teams.

Pre-order the Eagles Almanac 2015! - BGN
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