It’s too early to determine whether the Philadelphia Eagles will be better or worse in 2015 than 2014, but the team in-depthcertainly isn’t going to be boring.

The Eagles started the offseason by trading the starting RB (LeSean McCoy)and QB (Nick Foles) from last season’s 10-6 team in separate deals, acquiring QB Sam Bradford and LB Kiko Alonso in those transactions. The Eagles have since added RB DeMarco Murray from Dallas and lost WR Jeremy Maclin to Kansas City for good measure.

Then, as the smoke appeared to be clearing, news broke that Chip Kelly had added the lightning rod, Tim Tebow, to his mix of potential starting QBs – which also currently includes Mark Sanchez and could by this time next week include Marcus Mariota, in the minds of many.

So how will it all shake out? Are the Eagles better or worse than they were when the new league year started? And is Chip Kelly worthy of the trust bestowed upon him to make these decisions? Brandon Lee Gowton, manager and editor-in-chief at Bleeding Green Nation, shares his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: Philadelphia went 10-6 for the second consecutive season under Chip Kelly, but missed the playoffs this time around. What’s your assessment of the season?

Gowton: The Eagles were a good team. 10-6 isn’t easy to pull off, especially with a backup quarterback starting for half of the season. But the problem is they weren’t a great team. They had a hard time hanging with the NFL’s better teams because they didn’t take care of the ball. They led the NFL in turnovers. Philadelphia’s run game was merely average instead of elite like it was in 2013. The Eagles defense allowed too many big plays despite being strong up front. Their special teams unit was elite, however, and that allowed them to make up for some of their flaws. They were a flawed team who could beat bad teams but couldn’t beat the best teams their schedule had to offer.

Zoneblitz: How do you think Kelly has done as coach thus far? Is he spread too thin? Does he have a plan? Too much power? Or is second guessing premature?

Gowton: Kelly the coach has been great so far. The team is 20-12 in two years after he took over a 2012 squad that went 4-12. It’s fair to see he’s gotten the most out of what he’s been given. Now it’s up to him to pick his own players. It remains to be seen how effective Kelly will be as a GM. It’s hard to form a definitive opinion on his GM prowess without seeing the on-field results, but it’s fair to wonder.

Zoneblitz: This offseason started with a couple big trades – what did you think of the McCoy/Alonso deal and what are your thoughts on the players involved?

Gowton: As I said earlier, the Eagles run game was average in 2014. Part of that was due to poor run blocking from the team’s offensive line. At the same time, McCoy didn’t always make the most out of his opportunities. He averaged a career low in yards after contact. Judging by the eye test, he just didn’t make people miss like he usually did in the past. McCoy was scheduled to be the second highest paid rusher in the NFL in 2015 and he wasn’t worth that kind of money. The Eagles got a young stud in Kiko Alonso in return for McCoy, so that’s looking like a good return. Alonso was great for the Bills as a rookie in 2013. Now he needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Zoneblitz: Likewise, what are your thoughts on the Bradford/Foles trade? Does Kelly see Bradford as the QB of the future or is this a stopgap for another move?

Gowton: I wasn’t surprised to see Nick Foles gone. He had a great season for the Eagles in 2013 but that’s because everything around him was going well: awesome run game, perfectly health offensive line, etc. Foles struggled in 2014 when everything wasn’t perfect. He led the NFL in turnovers before suffering a season-ending injury.

Trading for Sam Bradford is a different story. No one really saw that coming. The team seems to be high on him since they gave up a future second round draft pick to get him, but until they extend his contract it’s hard to say how much the Eagles really believe in him.

Zoneblitz: What do you think the likelihood is of a move up for Marcus Mariota, as has off and on been rumored?

Gowton: Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice recently put the odds at 50/50. I have no reason to disagree with him there. I think the Eagles really, really want Marcus Mariota. This is a guy who Chip Kelly has said “will win multiple Super Bowls.” Kelly also compared him to Peyton Manning once. The only problem is: will the Eagles be able to get him? If other teams are after him, it might be out of their control.

Zoneblitz: And then there is Tim Tebow – what do you make of signing him?

Gowton: As if the Eagles offseason couldn’t get any more crazy, here’s Tim Tebow. There’s no guarantee he makes the team but it seems like he’ll be given a shot. The team tried to trade Matt Barkley but it didn’t work. So now Tebow is here to presumably try and take the No. 3 job. If the Eagles draft a non-Mariota rookie QB, however, it would probably be the rookie who makes the team and Tebow on the outside looking in.

Zoneblitz: Collectively, what are your thoughts on the offseason moves at this point and what would you like to see the team do through the rest of free agency and in the draft?

Gowton: At this point, I really don’t know what to make of the Eagles offseason moves. It’s kind of just “wait and see” mode at this point. There are a lot of new faces in key positions (Bradford, DeMarco Murray, etc.) and it remains to be seen how they all fit in. I’m reserving judgment for now. I think there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic, but there are also a lot of concerns.

Zoneblitz: Jeremy Maclin is gone too. Can Jordan Matthews be a number one receiver? Does whoever plays QB have enough weapons now to work with after major changes?

Gowton: Jordan Matthews excelled in the slot as a rookie but I wonder if the team really wants to use him on the outside. There’s been talk of it happening but I’ll wait to see it before I fully believe it. I don’t think he’s a star by any means but I think he can be a very good, very productive option. Whoever plays quarterback won’t exactly have a great wide receiving corps but Zach Ertz and Darren Sproles will be quality pass catching options. Those two could kind of make up for a lackluster WR group.

Zoneblitz: Defensively, the team lost Trent Cole and Cary Williams, but added Alonso and Walter Thurmond – how would you assess the defense now as opposed to at the end of 2014?

Gowton: I think the defense has the potential to be pretty good. The front seven looks strong just like it did last year. I think Brandon Graham could be a more productive pass rusher than the aging Trent Cole has been for Philadelphia. Alonso is a playmaker at inside linebacker. The cornerback positions definitely look better with the addition of Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond (if he can stay healthy). The big concern for the Eagles, however, is safety. What is the team going to do there? It’s hard to say. There’s no real proven option now that Nate Allen signed with the Raiders. Maybe the Eagles will be able to add someone in the draft, but otherwise it’s really up in the air.

Zoneblitz: What Eagles players have a chance to break out in 2015?

Gowton: Josh Huff is the name to keep an eye on. He struggled as a rookie with drops and turnovers but he also flashed real potential. The Eagles are thin at wide receiver so Huff should have an opportunity to earn a bigger role. I think Huff is ready to put his struggles in the past and show he belongs.

Zoneblitz: How far are the Eagles from making a deep run in the postseason?

Gowton: To be a true contender, a team needs to have a franchise quarterback. There’s a chance Sam Bradford can be that guy for the Eagles, but it’s certainly not a given at this point. Bradford has some talent but he needs to stay healthy.

Follow Brandon Gowton on Twitter at: @BrandonGowton
Follow Bleeding Green Nation on Twitter at: @BleedingGreen
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