Chip: Starters To Play 10-15 Snaps

Chip Kelly plans on having the first team on the field for 10-15 plays Friday night for the Eagles first preseason game in Chicago.

“It really depends offensively and defensively how much success you’re having,” he said. “It could be you get a couple three-and-outs and you have to go back out there but two decent drives we feel like that’s what we’re aiming for right now.”

Kelly said that he is unsure whether Jeremy Maclin (leg soreness) will go. He doesn’t anticipate that Riley Cooper (foot) will play. He would not provide any further details about the injury, only that it is a day-to-day situation. It’s been over a week since Cooper suited up.

Nolan Carroll was sidelined the past two days with what Kelly called a “muscle deal” in either his hamstring or groin. He doesn’t anticipate Carroll playing against the Bears but expects him back within a few days.

For rookies like Marcus Smith, Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff, this is an opportunity to get a taste of NFL game action — albeit in an exhibition setting.

“I hope to see the same out of everybody — I hope they rise to the occasion and go out there and rip it up,” said Kelly. “I have the same expectations, it doesn’t matter if you were the first-round pick or an undrafted free agent or we signed you in the offseason, we don’t have any different expectation for Marcus than we do for Beau Allen. It’s really a chance to see guys in live action with officials in a different setting and see which guys can show up a little bit. That’s the interesting thing: There are going to be some guys that maybe somebody didn’t have an idea where they were going to be and then there will be some guys that disappoint, but you don’t know until you can put them into action.”