New York Giants Opponent Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

Dec 28, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

What Is Chip Kelly Doing:

Chris Schisler: What is your reaction to the bold moves of Chip Kelly this offseason?

Anthony DiBona: Initially it’s easy to be skeptical of most of the moves Kelly has made. He started off with a bang by trading LeSean McCoy and Nick Foles but once you dig deeper, you see the reasons why he made the moves. McCoy wasn’t exactly the type of runner and locker room presence he prefers. Foles was already declining on the field before his season was ended with a collarbone injury.

Alonso and Bradford are both high risk, high reward acquisitions that could pay off big time for Kelly and the Eagles. But I’m still more in “wait and see mode” before I can really judge the moves he’s made this offseason.

CS: What was the best and worst moves of the offseason?

AB: I’d say the worst move was releasing guard Evan Mathis. Although he was unhappy with his current contract, he was a crucial part of their offensive line. He’s an elite guard and it’ll be tough to replace his production but the team seems to have faith in his likely replacement, Allen Barbre.

In my opinion, the best move Kelly made was trading for inside linebacker Kiko Alonso. Sure he’s coming off a major knee injury but he’s already participating fully in practice. I think people forgot just how good Alonso was during his rookie season with the Buffalo Bills. He put up ridiculous numbers for a rookie and he could become a franchise player for the Eagles on defense, along with defensive end Fletcher Cox.

Next: Talking About The Draft