Five Big-Picture Takeaways From Eagles Week 14 Win vs Bills
By Somers Price
Dec 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety Ed Reynolds (30) intercepts the ball in front of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Robert Woods (10) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
4.) Maybe We’ve Been Judging the Last Couple of Drafts Too Harshly
The NFL is the ultimate ‘snap judgement’ league. The 16-game schedule provides very little by the way of sample size for young players. For those rookies unable to burst onto the scene right away, there seems to be a tendency to diminish the chances of them evolving into serviceable NFL players. Much has been made over the draft classes that have come to Philadelphia since Chip Kelly’s arrival. Some of it has been warranted (see: Smith, Marcus), but one could make a case that some of the players selected under Kelly’s watch fell victim to this phenomenon.
Make no mistake, there’s a reason that the Eagles have had to build their current roster through free agency and trades more than a lot of contenders. Part of it might have to do with the fact that Kelly’s immediate success in the win-loss department kept expectations high. It would be far more difficult to sell a traditional rebuild than what Kelly is trying to do with 20 wins in two seasons. That’s not to say that the Eagles have drafted masterfully with Kelly at the helm. There is a case, however, for extending the evaluation window beyond a game or two when it comes to players selected in the draft.
One could make an argument that Kelly has set his team back by neglecting the offensive line and quarterback position in the draft, for the most part. Beyond that, it’s starting to appear as if the last few drafts by the Eagles could yield some important players going down the stretch in 2015. 2015 2nd round pick Eric Rowe has responded nicely after Calvin Johnson took him to school on Thanksgiving. 2014 5th round pick Taylor Hart is establishing himself as part of the team’s rotation along the defensive line. Even Ed Reynolds, also picked in the 5th round of the 2014 draft, is starting to see his role on the team increase.
When it comes to first round picks, the Eagles have underwhelmed under Kelly. Marcus Smith has been a disaster, Lane Johnson has been solid-at-best, and Nelson Agholor is inconsistent after returning from injury. Beyond that, it’s fair to say the criticism of Kelly’s (and Howie Roseman’s) drafts have been a bit extreme. There are few teams in the league that are able to consistently ‘hit’ in the mid-to-later rounds. If an organization is able to sprinkle in a handful over the course of a few seasons, that can help keep the roster sustainable. Maybe some of the players drafted to play for Kelly didn’t ‘flash’ right away. As we’re seeing in recent weeks, that does not necessarily mean they are bad players that cannot contribute.