Philadelphia Eagles

Former Chip Kelly assistant: Mariota allows him to do exactly what he wants to do with his offense

Published Apr. 29, 2015 12:09 p.m. ET

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As we near the 24-hour countdown until the draft, buzz surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles and Marcus Mariota is only intensifying. Nick Aliotti, who coached with Chip Kelly for six years, said that he believes Kelly will continue to work toward getting a deal done that would put the Eagles in position to draft Mariota.

“If there’s a way that he can get Marcus Mariota without selling the farm, I think he’s still trying to do that,” Aliotti said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

Chip Kelly has made it clear through his actions this offseason that he is attempting to mold his offense to a specific and exact form. Aliotti believes that Mariota will allow the offense to come into place.

“I know Chip and I have a lot of respect for Chip. He has a plan,” he said. “I’ve had no conversations with Chip so I’m not putting words in his mouth, but I really think that if he can get Marcus Mariota he’s able to do exactly what he wants to do with his offense there in Philly.”

Keep in mind that a potential trade is still a long shot at this point. The Eagles own the No. 20 overall pick and they would likely need to move all the way up to No. 2 overall to land Mariota. However, the Eagles are rumored to have already dangled key assets Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks and Evan Mathis in trade talks. If they are willing to move Cox or Kendricks, they might be able to get the ball rolling.

(h/t Pro Football Talk)

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