Chip Kelly, Mad Genius

[HarveyWallbangers]

While fans have been quick to rip on Chip Kelly's move, I've thought the moves were quite masterful. Finally, somebody agrees with me.

http://q.usatoday.com/2015/03/13/chip-kelly-philadelphia-eagles-leasean-mccoy-ingenious-offseason-plan-comes-together-with-demarco-murray-signing/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatodaycomsports-topstories

The author does good job explaining why, but basically Kelly got better with younger and cheaper players. Of course, a lot of their success might fall on the frail shoulders of Sam Bradford, but I think I agree with Chip's ultimate decision that Nick Foles wasn't going to be able to get it done. Bradford is a one year experiment. If it works, he has a QB. If not, he can move on easily. I suspect Philadelphia may take a QB pretty early in the draft though.

[Freak Out]

I have to agree.....I wasn't surprised with all the hate coming from the Iggle fans and media though.

[mraynrand]

McCoy with 125 carries for 0 or fewer yards? WOW. I did not know that. Murray with Mathews gives them a very good starter and a nice change of pace.

[mraynrand]

I suspect Philadelphia may take a QB pretty early in the draft though.

Wonder if they'll develop Grayson from CO state. If he drops to the fifth round, the Packers should draft him. Maybe even fourth. Some have him going as high as the second round, but I wouldn't take him there.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Murray is good with the straight ahead running that Chip's offense needs. No dancing like McCoy. Thought that was a great move as well.

[Bossman641]

The moves make sense, but his explanations don't. After trading McCoy he talked about needing to clear cap space....and then the next thing he does is drop crazy $ on the Rb position

You would think that the easiest position to fill in his offense would be RB, just find a guy who hits the right holes and keeps the offense picking up 4-5 yards at a time. I just don't understand tying up all that money in Murray, Matthews, and Sproles.

[pbmax]

I'd buy that they wanted straight ahead Murray if they had talked to him prior to the day after they lost Gore.

Murray has a bigger contract though a smaller cap number this year than McCoy would have. Are we sure he is cheaper than McCoy even over two years?

He is also taking on players that have been available for 100 out of the last 140 games I read. Foles is nothing to lose sleep over, but they didn't get back any reliability. And while Murray is younger, he is within 600 some carries of McCoy. That's less than two full seasons for him. Another check box for longer term concerns.

His offense will probably make it work, if the players can actually be on the field.

[pbmax]

SIs Farrar likes it too:

http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/03/13/chip-kelly-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-free-agency-moves

[Guiness]

Not buying into the Bradford thing. $13M for a one year experiment? What does Chip think he sees that no one else does. I wonder if he finally got around to reading his press from the 2013 season and actually believes he's smarter than everyone else.

I bet the Rams front office danced a jig when he called. How many inquiries do you figure they fielded about Bradford? I'm guessing 1. I think they were prepared to go through the season with him, considering his salary a sunk cost, until Chip offered to pay the tab for them.

[Guiness]

Not buying into the Bradford thing. $13M for a one year experiment? What does Chip think he sees that no one else does. I wonder if he finally got around to reading his press from the 2013 season and actually believes he's smarter than everyone else.

I bet the Rams front office danced a jig when he called. How many inquiries do you figure they fielded about Bradford? I'm guessing 1. I think they were prepared to go through the season with him, considering his salary a sunk cost, until Chip offered to pay the tab for them.

Maybe I was wrong on that bit.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/13/jeff-fisher-other-teams-wanted-bradford-but-we-wanted-foles/

Not entirely sure I believe it, but also not sure why else he'd say that.

[mraynrand]

Chip Kelly ^^^^?

[pittstang5]

The Sam Bradford trade initially had me scratching my head. Then I remembered Pat Shurmer was the OC in St. Louis when Bradford was drafted and is the OC in Philly now. Makes a little more sense.

I still don't buy Chip was offered a 1st rounder for Bradford right after he got him.

[pbmax]

The Sam Bradford trade initially had me scratching my head. Then I remembered Pat Shurmer was the OC in St. Louis when Bradford was drafted and is the OC in Philly now. Makes a little more sense.

I still don't buy Chip was offered a 1st rounder for Bradford right after he got him.

Not to mention time with Brian Schottenheimer and his horizontal passing game.

[Jimx29]

Obviously he's a mad genius racist

[King Friday]

RBs are a dime a dozen. You can get a top 3-4 RB at any point in the 1st round these days...and often well into the 2nd. I don't understand letting McCoy go if you were going to bring in Murray...because guys who are heavily overworked like he was last year tend to disappear very quickly in the NFL. If you let McCoy go and decide to sign a cheaper vet and draft a rookie RB early...fine. I guess that was where they were trying to go with Gore and got burned.

Sam Bradford trade is a joke to me. Bradford is a china doll...and is going to be placed in an offense where he has to take more snaps and more hits? Won't work IMO...and you gave up a 2nd rounder for that? Why?

I don't think the moves made cripple the Eagles...a bunch of high priced vets isn't a smart strategy most of the time, but I scratch my head at Chip Kelly assembling 10 of his Oregon players on the Eagle roster. So the best players ONLY played for him at Oregon? Really? That smacks of arrogance to me.