My off season review

[taz]

As we are less than a week from our first real game since the Chip Kelly/Pat Shurmer era ended, I figured a look back on just how much change has happened to our beloved Eagles in the last 8 months.

1. Chip Kelly/Ed Manowich out - Howie Roseman/Doug Pederson in
2. Billy Davis out - Jim Schwartz in
3. Joe Douglas/Andy Weidl in.
4. Sam Bradford/Mark Sanchez out - Carson Wentz/Chase Daniel in
5. Byron Maxwell/Kiko Alonso/Riley Cooper/Demarco Murray/Mufasa etc. out Nigel Bradham/Ron Brooks/McKelvin/DGB/Brandon Brooks/McLoud/Wisnewski in.
6. 1st 2017/3rd 2016, 4th 2016, 2nd 2018 out, 1st 2017, 4th 2017, Conditional 4th 2018 in.
7. Celek/Johnson/Ertz/Curry/Cox/Jenkins/Sproles/Tobin all extended.
8. Brian Dawkins added to the front office.

There were more moves but the main point of this is we have been through a ton of change. Much more than I thought Howie was ever going to achieve. I was pretty vocal in saying that Chip Kelly set this team back a minimum of three years. Three years to undo the roster mistakes, three years to set this team in the right direction. Dare I say that Howie has set this team in the right direction in 8 short months? Dare I say that this year is going to be growing pains, much around new players, new system fitting together and more than anything a new QB with an extremely young wide out crew. Dare I say this team could very well be a contending team for the playoffs by 2017? Sure some things have to go right. Doug Pederson has to be a good head coach. I questioned the hire, so far though what is there to question? He put together a solid group of coaches many of which have played the game. He hired the best D coordinator he could hire. He recognized Dave Fipp was a good special teams coach. Is he good with press conferences, probably not but who cares. The players seem to like him.

The true test for all of this starts Sunday. I don't expect big things this year, I expect growing pains, I expect bumps in the road, what I want to see though is a plan. Once Wentz is in there aside from injury he shouldn't come out. I want them to establish being a tough run oriented football team, that plays smart physical defense. I want them to continue to excel on special teams. All of this showed in the preseason. Hopefully we see some of the same during the year. I still think we are a 5-11 team but one that is on an upswing.

[Eagle60]

The highlight of that whole scenario is friekin Riley Cooper gone!!

[FairOaks]

At this point it all depends on Wentz, and if he's a franchise QB. If so, we are set up well, if not... we'll be struggling. Although recouping the 1st rounder helps a lot; we haven't risked quite so much.

[Eagle60]

At this point it all depends on Wentz, and if he's a franchise QB. If so, we are set up well, if not... we'll be struggling. Although recouping the 1st rounder helps a lot; we haven't risked quite so much.

I know that I'm in the minority here but we did ship a good QB off to Minny so if Wentz doesn't work out we're back in QB hell. If it does work out Ĥowie will be the next Theo Epstein.

[MDFAN]

People are way to hard on Murray IMO, he was misused. And the real LOSSES on this team were the Jackson, Shady and Maclin losses. And that was all on CHIP.

This off season appears to have been a nice start on a rebuild, but I'm gonna give anybody any trophies just yet.

[FRESH]

Yep, we gave away three legit offensive talents, and replacedo them with DGB and some questionable rookies. You can't fix that in a year. We will be ,ucky to find replacements for those 3 guys in the next 3nyears.

[Eagle60]

Yep, we gave away three legit offensive talents, and replacedo them with DGB and some questionable rookies. You can't fix that in a year. We will be ,ucky to find replacements for those 3 guys in the next 3nyears.

Next 3 decades is more like it. You're talking about a guy with speed that is unmatched and one of the best running backs ever.

[taz]

We still have a long way to go, but when they fired Kelly I am a lot of people figured they would be three full seasons away from being a playoff contender. Forget Super Bowl just the playoffs. I really think Howie shaved at least a year possibly two off that. Not every move will pan out. Sure Wentz is a huge part of it. If he fails then we could very well be back to the 3 year deal. However, the path is there right in front of them. I never could have imaged that we would have seen the path so clearly by this point.

[FRESH]

Howie has done an excellent job, I agree. But Chip didn't leave him much to work with. I can't hold that against the Ferret. We are on the path.......just have to see if we picked the right QB, and if we picked the right coach.

[tinopuno]

I would really appreciate hearing/reading a candid appraisal from Kelly of his time with the Eagles. Did he learn anything about himself as a head coach, GM or human being? Does he recognize that he weakened the team considerably with his arbitrary 'not my kinda guy' dumping of Jackson and McCoy and failure to value Maclin's importance? Does he now realize that, even with the blinding brilliance of his offensive scheme, players are not simply interchangeable parts devoid of individual personalities and skill sets? And does he take responsibility for, IMO, his most blatant failure...totally ignoring the offensive line for 3 years. Or is he still essentially the same arrogant, obsessive little shit that walked in the door 4 years ago.

I'm not a fan of Roseman by any means but I must agree that he has done very well in resuscitating the seriously damaged roster that Kelly left him (and us) with.

Most of us, Nodak being the exception, have seen next to nothing of Wentz...the guy it all hinges on. What little we have seen has looked promising. We do know that he's got the physical tools, he works very hard at his craft, he's very receptive to coaching and he's apparently really smart.

That's a primo combination! So, Oline... just keep him from getting killed while he settles in and Receivers...try catching the stinkin' ball.

[Pliny]

People are way to hard on Murray IMO, he was misused. And the real LOSSES on this team were the Jackson, Shady and Maclin losses. And that was all on CHIP.

This off season appears to have been a nice start on a rebuild, but I'm gonna give anybody any trophies just yet.

My thoughts 100% MD.

[musicman]

I'm just glad they made a choice , rather than watch Sam be ok Sam as we go 7-9. Now we have gone forth with the plan and maybe we can enjoy watching the future,who just might do better than expected due to being able to improvise. It can't be too hard to defense a guy who will be in the same 5 yd area all the time. It will also make it tougher to take away the zone read with a QB who can take off and run. And run to the house I might add. Not predicting much for them other than exciting football. If the WR can catch the ball, Wentz feet will get them some good chances IMO. Can't wait till Sunday.

[Eagle60]

I would really appreciate hearing/reading a candid appraisal from Kelly of his time with the Eagles. Did he learn anything about himself as a head coach, GM or human being? Does he recognize that he weakened the team considerably with his arbitrary 'not my kinda guy' dumping of Jackson and McCoy and failure to value Maclin's importance? Does he now realize that, even with the blinding brilliance of his offensive scheme, players are not simply interchangeable parts devoid of individual personalities and skill sets? And does he take responsibility for, IMO, his most blatant failure...totally ignoring the offensive line for 3 years. Or is he still essentially the same arrogant, obsessive little shit that walked in the door 4 years ago.

I'm not a fan of Roseman by any means but I must agree that he has done very well in resuscitating the seriously damaged roster that Kelly left him (and us) with.

Most of us, Nodak being the exception, have seen next to nothing of Wentz...the guy it all hinges on. What little we have seen has looked promising. We do know that he's got the physical tools, he works very hard at his craft, he's very receptive to coaching and he's apparently really smart.

That's a primo combination! So, Oline... just keep him from getting killed while he settles in and Receivers...try catching the stinkin' ball.

I think Kelley at least now realizes that he no longer wants any part of being GM (of course he claimed that when he first got the Philly job). As for getting rid of great talent I guess he'll have no choice now that he is just the coach). The funny thing about him is that for a supposed prick he had very little communication when guys made mistakes and left that to his assistants. I really don't think that he's as bad a guy as people make him out to be. It's too bad he had to learn from us.

[Eagle60]

I'm just glad they made a choice , rather than watch Sam be ok Sam as we go 7-9. Now we have gone forth with the plan and maybe we can enjoy watching the future,who just might do better than expected due to being able to improvise. It can't be too hard to defense a guy who will be in the same 5 yd area all the time. It will also make it tougher to take away the zone read with a QB who can take off and run. And run to the house I might add. Not predicting much for them other than exciting football. If the WR can catch the ball, Wentz feet will get them some good chances IMO. Can't wait till Sunday.

I think the biggest problem that he's going to have is that unlike college he can't win the game by himself. I expect an ugly game Sunday by two ugly teams but obviously I'm pumped for it. Finally GAME ON!

[taz]

Continuing to think about Roseman. I may be a little too rosy on him but that may be because I really haven't disagreed with any of the moves he has made since he took back over the franchise. The moves he made put this team into position to have a future. Something that we really didn't have at the end of last year. Aside from the Wentz move he has locked key components to the future like Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, Vinny Curry and at the time Lane Johnson was a smart move (he is just a bonehead). Those are the type of guys you start to build a team around. Then he added young vets like Brandon Brooks and Rodney Mcleod. Finally he found a young QB to build the franchise around. Will Wentz work out? Time will tell. Health will be a big part of it. The coaching will be another big part of it. The guy doesn't have a ten cent head like a Ryan Leaf or some of the other high draft pick failures.

The Eagles still have a bunch of work to do in the next year or two. They have to find reliable recievers. That could come from the guys on the team maturing or it could be free agency or more draft picks. They need to figure out the tackle position on offense. If Johnson gets suspended that is really going to hurt this team. I think the guards will be ok with Brooks and eventually Semuelo. I think Kelce is better suited for the WCO. Running Back will be another position that will need to be addressed at some point. Maybe Smallwood is one of the pieces but RB are pretty easy to find. Defensively, the defensive line should be very good. Getting Logan resigned is a critical and they now have the dollars to do it. They will need linebacker help. Bradham should be Ok, Hicks needs to build on last year, Kendricks needs to stay healthy. CB might be a little better than we think, but still they don't have that stud. I think the safeties might be top five best tandem in the game.

So as of now, we still have a ways to go in acquiring talent, and then having that talent learn and come together. Getting Wentz out there this year will accelerate his learning curve. The receivers need to step up, the defense needs to jell. The Special teams needs to continue to be special. If so we could be a real force by the end of the 2017 season.