Eagles News: Byron Maxwell might be used to shadow top wide receivers

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Eagles age inventory, Part III: Defensive backs - PhillyVoice
For the Eagles we projected the following starting secondary: Byron Maxwell (27), Eric Rowe (22), Malcolm Jenkins (27), and Walter Thurmond (27). Age is not a concern for the Eagles in their secondary. It's more about whether those players will be good or not.

Eagles Wake-Up Call: More Flexibility In Secondary - Birds 24/7
Maxwell's ability to play inside should allow Davis greater scheme flexibility. The DC also sounded open to having Maxwell shadow the opponent's top receiver when the situation calls for it. Cary Williams followed Odell Beckham around some in last year's season finale (Nolan Carroll started for a deactivated Fletcher that game) but otherwise the corners have mostly played their respective sides under Davis to this point.

NFL executive: Only Chip Kelly can make Sam Bradford a success - NJ.com
"I understand they gave up on Foles,'' the executive said. "But I don't know why they're building up Bradford so much. I'm still confused about that whole deal. You can only talk about him being the first pick of the draft (in 2010) for so long. What has he done since then? If Bradford had gone anywhere else you wouldn't even be talking about him. He's been hurt the past two years and even when he was healthy, he was just average. But he's with Chip Kelly, so there's hope I guess. Chip Kelly is the one guy who can make Bradford a success.''

Undlin the Elixir? - Iggles Blitz
I feel pretty confident in saying that Bill Davis won’t be fired at the bye week this year and that Cory Undlin won’t be running the Eagles defense. Reid was a desperate coach. He thought firing Castillo might spark the defense. He was…wrong. Chip Kelly is desperate to win, but not because his job is on the line. He wants to win, but doesn’t have the normal 5-year plan that so many NFL coaches talk about. There are no guarantees that Undlin is going to turn out to be a good hire. He does have a good track record. He does seem to fit the scheme. Most importantly, he does have some new talent to work with. If Kelly had handed last year’s secondary to Undlin and said "Fix it!" then I think this situation would be a lot more iffy.

The Big Question: Most Indispensable Eagle? - PE.com
I'm going to go with Connor Barwin. I just think he means so much to the defense and the team, both for what he does on the field and what he brings to the locker room. It's very difficult to replace those skills. Barwin is an all-around linebacker who provides a great deal of flexibility for coordinator Bill Davis. We saw last year how Barwin's pass-rushing skills translate in this defense, and he's also tough against the run and he can turn and run in pass defense.

Ranking the RBs the Eagles will face in ‘15 - About.com
The Philadelphia Eagles’ run defense allowed the fifth fewest yards per carry in 2015 (3.7) but allowed 14 touchdowns on the ground. With an upgraded group of linebackers and a defensive line filled with young talent, the Eagles should be a much improved unit against the run. It also helps that their schedule doesn’t feature too many game-changing running backs.

Eagles under the radar: TE Trey Burton - CSN Philly
You hear a lot of talk about Chip Kelly going out and finding a multi-talented player who can line up at a variety of positions and make plays in a variety of ways. I have a hunch that player is already here. You could tell just on special teams that Burton, a former undrafted free agent from Florida, has a very high football IQ. He’s around the ball in a way that very few special teams are. Look at last year – he scooped up a punt blocked by James Casey and returned it for a TD and also blocked a punt that Brad Smith recovered for a touchdown. From 1948 through 2013 the Eagles, had two blocked punt TDs. Then Burton was involved in two more in the span of three months. I think Burton will wind up being a Pro Bowl special teamer and an effective down-field tight end. He’s smart, athletic and versatile, and there’s a spot for a guy with those qualities on my roster anytime.

Greg Cosell's NFL Classroom: What to watch before the snap - Yahoo! Sports
On Sundays, I usually watch games without taking notes or looking at schemes or searching for details about why plays did or didn't work. I just watch casually. And I know most people watch games that way, and that's great. But I also love when I come to the NFL Films offices on Monday and start to look at the coaches' film to unlock why certain plays worked or didn't, and what makes players successful or not. Those nuances, to me, are what football is all about.

Paying quarterbacks big can make winning in the NFL hard - SB Nation
Finding a winning quarterback is a challenge, but winning with a quarterback after giving him big money is a tough task as well.

Pre-order the Eagles Almanac 2015! - BGN
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