Chip Kelly made two points very clear last week when discussing his free-agent shopping spree.
One, he’s not planning to spend like this every offseason.
Two, despite the massive roster turnover, he’s not in rebuilding mode. He’s still planning to win.
With the major part of free agency now behind him, Kelly still has too many holes on his roster for his team to be viewed as a Super Bowl contender. A playoff contender, right now, would not be a fitting label.
Kelly has admitted that the draft is a dice roll, so there’s no guarantee that the Eagles can solve their current problems with draft picks.
Here’s a look at the weakest areas of the roster and what moves the Eagles can still make before the draft:
Wide receiver
This is either the biggest area of need right now or tied with safety. For whatever reason, Kelly had no problem overpaying for cornerback Byron Maxwell but refused the same treatment for Pro Bowl wideout Jeremy Maclin, who bolted for the Chiefs.
If the season started today, the Eagles’ starting outside receivers are Riley Cooper and Josh Huff. Maybe Jordan Matthews would get some outside looks, but in Kelly’s offense he’s more suited for the slot. Kelly has already said he’s not sure the position can be addressed until the draft, which is a scary thought given the uncertainty of draft picks.
In the meantime, Greg Jennings has become a free agent after being dumped by the Vikings. Jennings is 5 foot 11 and 195 pounds -- not exactly an archetype Kelly wideout -- and he’s also 31. But hey, beggars can’t be choosy. I think he’d find a niche in the Eagles’ offense.
Safety
Kelly swung for the fences on Devin McCourty but came up empty. McCourty spurned several lucrative offers in order to stay with New England.
It seems like Kelly and his staff either lacked Plan B or just didn’t like any other names out there. Rahim Moore, Tyvon Branch, Antrel Rolle, Ron Parker, Marcus Gilchrist, Da’Norris Searcy and Darian Stewart are no longer on the market. Even Nate Allen has found a new (and unbefitting) home.
Right now, the options to replace Allen are Earl Wolff (assuming he comes back strong from knee surgery), Chris Prosinski or Jerome Couplin. Kinda scary, eh?
Many of those aforementioned free agents scored bigger paydays than they were probably worth, so at least the Eagles didn’t overpay for another defensive back. But safety is arguably the most difficult position to upgrade in the draft and this year’s class isn’t loaded with high-end talent.
In February, I advocated trading for Bucs safety Dashon Goldson. Tampa Bay is reportedly planning to release the veteran safety. I still think Goldson would be better than what the Eagles currently have, even though he’s 30 and more of a thumper than a coverage safety.
Offensive guard
Todd Herremans’s release left the Eagles without a right guard. If the Eagles trade Evan Mathis, they’ll have to replace both starters. That’s risky for team intending to run the ball down the opponent’s throat.
The best option out there is Stefen Wisniewski, who can play center and guard. The Eagles don’t have an abundance of cash, but they can be creative with contract structure if they really want someone. Other teams, including Seattle, are reportedly interested in Wisniewski.
Remember, the Eagles are high on Allen Barbre, who missed 15 games last year after tearing up his ankle in the season opener. The team gave Barbre an extension last offseason and there were some whispers that he’d replace Herremans going into 2015. Plans may have changed when the team needed Barbre to play right tackle with Lane Johnson suspended for the first four games.
The Eagles have also been high on Matt Tobin, a 2013 rookie free agent who started seven games last year. He didn’t pay well but also battled a high-ankle sprain from the preseason.
Keep an eye on Oregon guard/tackle Jake Fisher, a first-round draft prospect. It wouldn’t be shocking if Kelly went after him.
Outside linebacker
Re-signing Brandon Graham to pair with Connor Barwin helped Kelly solidify his starting outside linebacker tandem. But depth is a real problem here.
Marcus Smith will presumably move back to outside linebacker, but he needs to make major strides this offseason. Travis Long will be coming back from his second ACL tear since his last year in college, so there’s no certainty he’ll come back.
There aren’t any realistic options in free agency, but the draft is loaded with edge rushers. Kelly could find a promising one outside of the first round, someone who can make an impact as a rotational piece in his first season and challenge to start down the road.