National Football League

If Kelly's all-in move with McCoy is a bust, he may have to fold in Philly

Published Mar. 4, 2015 1:22 a.m. ET

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The Philadelphia Eagles are going to trade for Marcus Mariota in April’s draft.

They’ll sign Ndamukong Suh in free agency.

They’ll upgrade a sorry secondary by adding Darrelle Revis if he is released by New England.

And while they’re at it, the Eagles will hurt a division rival by swiping running back DeMarco Murray away from the Dallas Cowboys.

Why not? It’s obvious that with Chip Kelly, anything is possible.

Kelly’s latest bold stroke came Tuesday when the Eagles agreed to trade star running back LeSean McCoy to Buffalo for linebacker Kiko Alonso, a source confirmed to FOX Sports. The deal can’t be officially consummated until next week at the start of the NFL’s calendar year. It’s also contingent upon Alonso, who is coming off reconstructive knee surgery, to pass an Eagles physical.

But if all goes as planned, the NFL’s leading rusher since 2010 is out the door in favor of a standout young linebacker with a lengthy injury history dating back to his days playing under Kelly at the University of Oregon.

There are pros and cons for both sides in this swap. From the Eagles’ perspective, factors to trade McCoy include salary ($9.8 million for 2015), diminished production last year (which wasn’t necessarily his fault with the injuries that hit the offense), age (he turns 27 in July) and the physical wear-and-tear that comes with averaging 321 touches over the past four seasons.

Alonso carries only a $746,000 base salary in 2015. He is a far cheaper alternative than inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who is now a strong candidate to get released for a $6.9 million salary-cap savings. Alonso drew comparisons to Luke Kuechly while finishing as runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. The hope is he can regain that form after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last July during an offseason workout.

As for Buffalo, Alonso would have excelled on one of the NFL’s best defenses but he became expendable when new head coach Rex Ryan had the chance to acquire the bell-cow back sought to spearhead his ground-and-pound offense. I asked new Buffalo offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is renowned for the rushing attack he orchestrated the past four seasons in San Francisco, how McCoy would fit into his system. Roman’s response: “He can do anything.”

Ideally, Buffalo and Philadelphia will both benefit from this trade in the way Denver and Washington did after the Broncos shipped running back Clinton Portis to the nation’s capital for cornerback Champ Bailey, 11 years ago Wednesday.

For Kelly’s sake, the Eagles had better benefit.

Ryan is getting a clean slate in Buffalo; Kelly is under heavy pressure to prove he can assemble a championship roster now.

Looking back upon the 2014 offseason, the Eagles deserve kudos for stealing running back Darren Sproles from New Orleans and re-signing veterans Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Jeremy Maclin. But Kelly and then-general manager Howie Roseman whiffed when releasing DeSean Jackson and then failing to replace the speed element in their wide receiving corps. Another self-inflicted wound came when the Eagles reached to draft linebacker Marcus Smith, who has exhibited the earmarks of being a first-round bust. Riley Cooper also hasn’t proven worth the sizeable contract extension (five years for $22.5 million with $10 million guaranteed) that he signed before Jackson’s release.

Kelly can’t afford more of these types of mistakes now that Philadelphia’s personnel decisions fall under his authority with Roseman being shifted to the business side of football operations following an internal power struggle.

Kelly has wasted little time laying the groundwork for the team he wants to field in 2015. Before news of the McCoy deal was broken by ESPN, cornerback Cary Williams was officially cut and outside linebacker Trent Cole learned his 10-year stint with the Eagles would be coming to an end with his imminent release. Another mainstay — offensive lineman Todd Herremans — was axed last week after a decade in Philadelphia as well.

These moves have helped create almost $50 million in cap space as the start of the free-agent signing period approaches next Tuesday.

With an air of mystery that would make Bill Belichick proud, it’s impossible to predict exactly how Kelly’s strategy will unfold. Nobody would be surprised if he made a run at some of the NFL’s top free agents like Suh, Murray or both. Kelly will assuredly try to upgrade a secondary whose 2014 struggles greatly contributed to Philadelphia missing the playoffs despite a 10-6 record.

As the draft approaches, there is rampant speculation that Kelly is willing to offer a trove of draft choices and quarterback Nick Foles to leapfrog from the No. 20 overall selection for the chance to select Mariota. Should that happen, Mariota could be the perfect fit to run Kelly’s up-tempo offense compared to Philadelphia’s three starters the past two seasons in Foles, Mike Vick and Mark Sanchez. Mariota also would become the 10th former Oregon player coached by Kelly at some point in their college career to join him in Philadelphia.

Regardless of whether the Mariota scenario comes to fruition, there’s only one thing Kelly must do to show everything is ducky as he enters his third season with the Eagles: Win despite ridding himself of yet another marquee talent in McCoy.

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