Morning Phil-Up: Did Chip Kelly Improve The Eagles In Year Two?

Another day, and two more potential candidates have turned their noses up at the opportunity to work as Chip Kelly’s general manager.

A day after Seattle’s Scott Fitterer said thanks but no thanks to the Birds’ offer, Green Bay’s Brian Gutenkunst and Baltimore’s Joe Horitz have also been removed from consideration for the position.

Reports have suggested that a major reason for the lack of interest in the job is the lingering presence of former general manager Howie Roseman. Candidates are put off by the idea of being caught in the middle of a power struggle, and would prefer an opportunity that provides more stability.

Be sure to check out these articles as you start your morning.

Did The Eagles Improve In Chip Kelly’s Second Season? – Bleeding Green Nation

Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation took an extensive look at the Eagles’ offensive, defensive, and special teams statistics from 2014 and 2013 and compares the two seasons to see how much the team improved or regressed in certain areas during Chip Kelly’s second season.

When I look at the numbers, the biggest thing that jumps out to me is the turnovers. The Eagles’ giveaway numbers just went through the roof last year, and it really cost them in some key moments during the season.

Whomever Kelly adds to the roster over the winter and spring, it’s absolutely critical that he examine and understand what went wrong with his team’s ability to protect the football and correct it for next season.

Eagles’ Receivers Coach Bob Bicknell Staying In Philadelphia – CSNPhilly

The San Francisco 49ers have been shopping around for a new offensive coordinator, and one of the guys they interviewed was none other than Philadelphia Eagles’ receivers coach Bob Bicknell.

However, Bicknell has opted to stay in his current role with the Eagles rather than pursue a new position with the Niners.

While at face value, it is a little surprising to see Bicknell turn down an opportunity for a promotion, the reality is that the 49ers are not exactly a stable situation right now. They’ve just turned over their coaching staff, and there’s a lot of questions about the offensive talent that they’ve got in place.

Colin Kaepernick may or may not be the future of their quarterback position. Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, two of the unit’s top weapons at the skill positions, are getting pretty long in the tooth. Michael Crabtree doesn’t scare anyone as an elite receiver. Oh, and the Niners play in one of the fiercest defensive divisions in all of football.

Although Bicknell may eventually want to pursue an offensive coordinator job, the San Francisco position was not an ideal fit for him.

Former Eagle Patrick Chung Thriving With Patriots – Philly.com

A year ago, Patrick Chung looked like he may be on his way out of the league.

Now, Chung has established himself as a key member of the New England defense, and has earned a three-year contract extension.

So what happened to Chung between his release from Philadelphia and today? For one, Chung got healthy. He battled various injuries during his only season with the Eagles, fell behind and was never really to settle himself in to a new defensive scheme with new teammates.

In addition to being healthy, Chung is also playing with much more talent around him in the New England secondary than he did last year. Instead of working with the likes of Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, Chung is now supported by a couple of top talents in Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

It is a lot easier for mediocre-to-average player to hide his issues and thrive in a defense when he’s got a great supporting cast around him. Having a couple of lock-down guys like Revis and Browner on the field make it much easier for Chung to do his job and focus on his responsibilities.

Do The Eagles Need To Draft Another Wide Receiver? – The 700 Level

Over the last couple of days, there have been reports floating around that the Eagles and Jeremy Maclin are having trouble coming to terms on a new contract, creating some concern about the team’s ability to re-sign their top wide receiver.

If things fall through in any way with Maclin, the receiver position would suddenly become among the team’s top needs, and the possibility that the Eagles could use another high pick on a receiver would increase.

But even if the Eagles keep Maclin, I do believe they need to add additional talent to the position. Jordan Matthews is a nice talent, but hasn’t shown he can more than a slot receiver. Riley Cooper is a nice blocker, but his limitations as a receiving threat really drag the offensive down. The Eagles need to find an upgrade over Cooper on the outside.