Takeaways From Chip Kelly’s Final Media Appearances of 2014

Nov 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) celebrates scoring a touchdown with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (18) in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Chip Kelly wants LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin back, but has already shown he won’t take part in a power struggle to do so.

On his radio spot with Howard Eskin on SportsRadioWIP, Kelly definitively answered a question regarding bringing back the NFL’s 3rd-leading rusher.

He would later address LeSean and free agent-to-be Jeremy Maclin during his press conference, explaining that he would prefer to have both players return in 2015 to contribute to a team he believes can contend. He would elaborate on the matter, though, noting the importance of keeping in mind the attitudes of dozens of other players and the future implications that every personnel decision can make.

I would be very surprised if Maclin was not locked up to a long-term deal in the near future. As for McCoy, things are a bit more uncertain for me. Shady has had his two best seasons in the NFL his last two years and has done so in large part to the schemes and strategies laid forth by his head coach. He has emerged as one of the faces of the NFL and is a tremendous representative for the Eagles organization as a whole.

McCoy’s cap number in 2015 for the $45 million extension he signed in May of 2012 is the largest it will be over the course of his entire deal. He will have turned 27 by the time the 2015 season starts. What’s most fascinating about McCoy is that, despite his production in 2014, something always seemed slightly off about him. The injury-riddled offensive line probably had something to do with it, but Shady never seemed quite as explosive as he had been in years past. I’m not sure whether he had lost a step or simply could not overcome the adjustments made by opposing defenses to remain as the most dynamic running back in the game, but it’s a thought that most of us would admit crossed our mind.

Unlike Marshawn Lynch, I think LeSean McCoy is a very important piece of the Eagles off the field. He brings unbridled emotion to the locker room and sidelines and seems to bring up the collective mood of the team and seems to have a finger on the pulse of his teammates. The question this regime must spend a part of this offseason addressing is whether they feel that, paired with his on the field talents is worth taking up such a large portion of the salary cap. If McCoy has enough confidence in the direction of the organization, it’s conceivable that he could restructure his deal to avoid the potential mess that contract disputes have become in recent years. It’s also possible that he will stand firm to the deal he agreed upon and, were that to be the case, the situation could go down a road that may end with McCoy playing elsewhere. Given the emphasis on training and preparation in Kelly’s philosophies, I imagine he has no interest in his primary ball-carrier going through a holdout and missing substantial time. I hope McCoy is back with the Eagles in 2015. Given what happened with DeSean Jackson last offseason, I’ve come to grips with the fact that Shady may have already played his last game in Philadelphia. I just hope that’s not the case.