Philadelphia Eagles

Five things we learned about the Eagles this preseason

Published Sep. 8, 2015 8:00 a.m. ET

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The Philadelphia Eagles's offseason was filled with roster turnover at almost every skill position. In the trenches, they lost several key contributors from 2014, but they didn't add any significant free agents or draft picks. However, they did add a ton of talent at the skill positoins. Head coach Chip Kelly believes that the roster overhaul has set him up with a roster that better fits his scheme on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

With the regular season set to kick off on Thursday, here are the five most important things we learned from the Eagles' preseason.

Sam Bradford is an excellent fit

Eagles fans got an extended look at Sam Bradford during the third preseason game, and he did not disappoint. Bradford completed 10-of-10 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns on three drives. Bradford has excellent touch and excels as an anticipation thrower -- these are traits that fit very well in Chip Kelly's scheme.

The wide receivers could rotate at first

The Eagles are very deep at the wide receiver position, and outside of Jordan Matthews, no other wide receiver has emerged with a clear role heading into 2015. At least to start the season, the Eagles could use a rotation based on down and distance. Veteran Miles Austin can move the sticks over the middle and Riley Cooper can block on the edge. Rookie Nelson Agholor and Josh Huff can provide explosive plays on the outside as Matthews mans the slot.

The two starters at inside linebacker remain a mystery

The Eagles didn't trade LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso with the intention of sitting him on the bench, but injuries have limited Alonso to playing in just the final preseason game. First it was a concussion and then it was a knee issue. If Alonso proves to be healthy for the start of the regular season, it's anyone's guess if he will start with Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans currently atop the depth chart at inside linebacker.

Walter Thurmond can play the safety position

When the Eagles signed Walter Thurmond this offseason, many expected them to pencil him in at slot cornerback. That's the position where he made his living and earned a strong reputation. The first spring practice rolled around and he was lined up at safety next to Malcolm Jenkins. He has stuck there since and held up well in coverage, even adding two interceptions through limited snaps.

Bennie Logan is dominant against the run

In 2014, Bennie Logan emerged as a top-15 nose tackle against the run according to Pro Football Focus. This season he could emerge as one of the five best in the NFL. Logan has been dominant against the run through limited snaps in the preseason, and the coaches are raving about the impact he has made in the run game overall. He could be the breakout player on the Eagles' defense in 2015.

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