The Eagles are 4-6 after entering the 2015 season with dreams of title contention, and the crushing expectations have soured the relationship between the organization and head coach Chip Kelly. It does not seem like Kelly is long for Philadelphia, according to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter.
On MTC earlier today, @AdamSchefter discussed the future of Chip Kelly in Philadelphia: Audio: https://t.co/GVIpmZnbhD
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) November 24, 2015
Philadelphia’s offense has taken a dive from a season ago, and a number of Kelly’s moves this offseason haven’t panned out. The most obvious are trading running back LeSean McCoy, and signing DeMarco Murray after bringing in Ryan Mathews on a cheaper deal. Mathews has outplayed Murray, but remains on the back end of a running back committee.
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Kelly also traded QB Nick Foles and a second-round pick to the Rams for Sam Bradford. Foles has been benched already and isn’t a great loss, but Bradford has been a poor fit, and the second-round pick may have been a trade chip on draft day to help acquire Marcus Mariota.
“The momentum and signs seem to be piling up against a Chip return to Philadelphia. I think both sides are sick of each other. I think the fans are tired of him. I think he’s tired of the situation there,” Schefter said.
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If Kelly is told to hit the road, here are three potential replacements.
Sean Payton
Payton, the head coach of the Saints, may also be on the outs. The Drew Brees era is close to its end, and New Orleans has declined since their 2009 Super Bowl victory. Payton has always had the Saints’ offense near the top of the league, but they have also rarely enjoyed a good defense during his tenure.
Payton isn’t too dissimilar from Kelly, except for the fact that he has no reputation for callously discarding star-caliber players who don’t buy in to his “system.” Every coach has a “system,” but Kelly’s hubris about his rubs players and fans the wrong way and leaves him little room for error. Payton has a Super Bowl ring and will be afforded more faith.
Dabo Swinney
The Clemson head coach may never hit a peak such as the one he’s at now. Swinney’s Tigers are 11-0, they’re atop the NCAA College Football Playoff rankings, and he has produced a number of players that are big names in the NFL.
Swinney also has a track record of coaching up star wide receivers, which is a major bonus in the current, pass-happy NFL. Sammy Watkins (Bills) Martavis Bryant (Steelers) and DeAndre Hopkins (Texans) are all major weapons in their respective passing games, and Swinney expressed supreme confidence in his ability to enhance a receiver’s skill set when he talked to Sporting News.
"I may screw up a defensive lineman or something, but I ain't going to screw up a wideout."
Billy Davis
Who? I know that’s what you’re asking. Billy Davis is the current Eagles defensive coordinator, and he’s completely unknown because Kelly sucks up all the oxygen in Philly. Try to remove last week’s shellacking vs. the Buccaneers in which Jameis Winston threw five touchdown passes for a moment.
This year Philadelphia is third in the NFL in takeaways (21). Last season they were the sixth in the NFL (28), and in 2013 they were fourth (31). The Eagles consistently change games with their defense, and this year they have been successful while dealing with injuries to their best linebackers, Kiko Alonso and DeMeco Ryans.
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