Twitter Mailbag: Does Chip Have A Plan?

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@Tim_McManus @Birds247 Do you sense that Chip actually has a plan and is carrying it out, or is he making it up as he goes along?

— Chris Holmes (@grayflannelsuit) May 15, 2015

I think he has philosophies about what he wants his team to look like, and is guided by them when making personnel decisions. It’s not realistic to have a hard and fast plan heading into the offseason because there are too many variables that are out of your control. Instead, you identify priorities and players that fit (and don’t fit) your vision, and develop models that account for various scenarios. 

For example, we know that Kelly wanted to sign Frank Gore and keep Jeremy Maclin. But Gore backed out and Maclin decided to sign with Kansas City. With the Maclin money freed up and a hole still to fill at running back, he ended up signing DeMarco Murray to a healthy contract instead.  Did he think that he’d end up with Murray heading into free agency? Nope, but he knew he wanted a one-cut, downhill runner, the cash became available and Murray fit the bill.

LeSean McCoy didn’t, so Kelly decided he wanted to move on from him and his $10 million salary —  money that could be partially allocated to a defense in need of bolstering. The trade with Buffalo went down in 30 minutes, and some see that as evidence that Kelly is operating by the seat of his pants. But he knew well before those conversations started that he wanted to part with McCoy, and proper return value was undoubtedly discussed beforehand. The Eagles made it a priority to address the defense (and specifically, the the inside linebacker position) this offseason, Alonso was a player that Kelly was very fond of dating back to Oregon, and they decided to pull the trigger when the opportunity presented itself. The action was swift, but the philosophy behind it was well thought out. 

I have no idea if these moves will pan out, but I do believe Kelly is operating with purpose.  

Is there any chance we can trade for Marcus Mariota? https://t.co/nbHDIcYAOq — Jon Marks (@jonmarks975) May 15, 2015

Ha. The dream is dead, my friend. But let’s shoe-horn him into the conversation anyway!

@Tim_McManus @Birds247 who has more passing yards this year? Bradford, Mariota, or Foles?

— Matt Fortson (@TheFortycent) May 15, 2015

Tough one, but I think I’m going to ride with Foles. He was on pace to throw for over 4,300 yards last year before he got hurt. He might not reach those levels in St. Louis’ offense, but if healthy I can see him ending up around 3,500 yards.

Bradford is certainly capable of reaching those heights. In the two years he played a full 16-game slate, he threw for 3,512 and 3,702 yards, respectively. He could really take off in this offense, but it’s hard to count on him staying upright. Foles has had his share of issues in the health department as well, granted, but I like his odds a little bit better.

Mariota is a wild card. I’ll say the learning curve prevents his numbers from skyrocketing.

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Our last one comes from William Hum, who submitted his question at the Wine + Food Festival earlier this month. For having his entry selected, William wins an Ocean Prime gift certificate. Congrats!

Is Tebow really part of Chip’s plan?

It’s looking more and more like a possibility.

I found it interesting that Ed Marynowitz didn’t dismiss the idea when asked if the Tim Tebow signing was related to the potential point-after-touchdown rule changes. Since then it’s been revealed that the Eagles are being proactive in that process, proposing the two-point try be moved to the one-yard line. A vote will be held next week when the owners meet in San Francisco. If the two-point conversion becomes a bigger part of the game, Tebow’s value goes up.

The Eagles didn’t draft a quarterback, which further increases his chances of making the team. His main competition for the No. 3 spot at the moment is Matt Barkley. Clearly, the team is not married to the idea of having Barkley on the roster. He still needs to perform at a respectable level during camp, but it looks like Tebow has a real shot.