Sports and Rants with Brett and Pants : New Year. New Team. New Identity.

Year-end reviews occur in every business. Since the Philadelphia Eagles hired Chip Kelly as their head coach the team has changed drastically. Chip Kelly has now finished his second season as the Eagles head coach, and he did not improve on his first. Kelly is not known for developing players. He is known for his innovative coaching philosophies. Chip can only successfully implement his unique coaching philosophies if the players believe in them. It may be difficult for the Eagles head coach to find players because they do not only have to fit into his style of football, but buy into his philosophies as well.

Even though Chip Kelly has had complete control over personnel decisions, he is still molding the team into his own. When new coaches takeover a team, they acquire players that fit their style of football and players that don’t. Kelly has not yet finished molding players into his own or letting players go that do not have a role on the team. How will Chip Kelly change the personnel during the offseason?

Trent Cole

Unfortunately for Trent Cole, his time in Philadelphia may be done. For 10 seasons Cole has been hunting Philadelphia’s opposing quarterbacks. Under Kelly, the two-time pro bowler has transitioned into a versatile outside linebacker. Number 58 on the Eagles was always a top pass rusher in the league, but he had the work ethic to also learn how to effectively drop back in coverage consistently. In 2014, Cole was a key contributor of one of the best front sevens in the league.

Even though Trent Cole has become a versatile OLB, you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. He wants to retire an Eagle. Cole will be 33 years old next season and nearing the end of his career. If everything works out smoothly, Marcus Smith will take over Trent Cole’s starting role. Trent Cole’s contract takes too big of a salary cap hit for him to be a backup. Chip Kelly would like more versatility on defense at the OLB position. With Marcus Smith, there would be more versatility. Versatility allows the pass rush would to be less predictable.

Riley Cooper

Compared to last season, Riley Cooper’s production plummeted tremendously. He went from 18 yards per reception, to just 10 yards. Even though Riley had the ball thrown to him more times, he accumulated less yards. With a big bodied receiver like Cooper, you would hope that he would be able to do more with the ball after the catch. By the end of the season, he was being phased out of the field by a rookie receiver, Josh Huff. A player that only had seven receptions, and one of those receptions led to a fumble that cost the Eagles the game.

Cooper is not playing up to the value that he is being paid. Number 14 on the Eagles makes more money on average than each Washington Redskins receiver, and that includes DeSean Jackson. Riley is the one player that was affected most from the releasing of Jackson. After Jackson left, there was more of a focus by opposing defenses to cover Cooper. It was a mistake for the Eagles handed Cooper such a large contract. For whatever reason Chip wanted to keep him on the team last offseason, it does not seem to be the case now.

Mark Sanchez

An ideal 2014 season would have Nick Foles continuing his high level of quarterback play that he finished at in 2013. The offense would be prolific and the Eagles would have success. However, after 9 weeks Foles turned the ball over 13 times and had a season ending injury. Marks Sanchez came in and played even worse. Sanchez turned the ball over 12 times in 8 games. Sanchez’s weak arm limits the Eagles offensive production. The former Jets quarterback came to the Eagles to revitalize his career. He would have been better off never stepping onto the field. Sanchez will not be a starting quarterback with the Eagles or any other team in the league. When comparing 2013 Foles with 2014 Foles, it is apparent that Chip designed drastically different styles of plays. Going into the 2015 season, Nick Foles will have the biggest chip on his shoulder out of anybody in the league.

Cary Williams & Bradley Fletcher

Both of the Eagles outside cornerbacks are dreadful. The cornerback position is the weakest position for the Eagles. It seems as if Cary Williams cannot cover a wide receiver without being penalized or trash talking. One of Kelly’s favorite mantras to say is "play with emotion, not let emotion play with you." So how come Williams does not play with that mindset? On the other side of the field, Bradley Fletcher’s coverage is just as bad. The only difference is that there is less intensity. Step one of the Eagles offseason is making sure Williams and Fletcher are let go. The main reason they were acquired was because of their size. Size is necessary when going against tall receivers. Kelly prefers lengthy corners because the size is also crucial in press coverage, which he prefers to use. If drastic changes are not made to secondary, there will be riots in Philadelphia that are not race related.

Chip Kelly deserves all of the blame for all of the past atrocious season. It is obvious that Chip needs to change his coaching philosophies. His approach to game day leaves a lot to be desired. Kelly has implemented a new culture in the Eagles organizations. During the offseason, it will be interesting to watch what changes are mad to both the personnel and with his coaching philosophies. Chip Kelly has to learn that it does not matter if his system worked in Oregon; he is not in Oregon anymore.

- Pants