Rise & Grind: What is Chip Kelly turning the Eagles into?

The Eagles made a blockbuster move after a day of smaller ones in an effort to reshape the roster. But will it work?

Mar 4, 2015, 1:38 PM UTC

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, we wondered in this space about the new dynamic in the Philadelphia Eagles’ front office, the January rearrangement that left head coach Chip Kelly in charge of personnel. We started seeing the effects of that within hours as the team made a handful of roster moves -- dropping cornerback Cary Williams and defensive end Trent Cole -- leading up to the biggest roster move of the offseason so far, trading running back LeSean McCoy to the Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso.

There shouldn’t be any doubt who’s calling the shots for the Eagles now. I’d even ask why Howie Roseman still has an office in the building, unless it’s just to help with the cap and contracts.

Both teams get a player they need in the deal, and the Eagles cleared out another $11 million+ under the cap. For now, you can call it a win-win. The biggest question I have in the fallout from the deal is whether or not the Eagles can now fill all the gaps on the offensive side of the ball. Starting running backs are easy enough to replace, especially in this year’s draft class, but they also have to resolve their quarterback situation and find a No. 1 receiver to replace free agent Jeremy Maclin, assuming he finds a better deal from one of the league’s more desperate teams. That’s a long shopping list for one offseason.

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It’s usually a red flag when NFL head coaches split their time as the team’s chief personnel executive too. Kelly’s doing something different with the Eagles. We’ve already seen the success he’s had on the field, winning double-digit games in both of his first two seasons with iffy quarterbacks and no real secondary. For now, he gets the benefit of the doubt. I’m anxious to see what he does with this roster.

Oh, and the Eagles may not be done dealing; the Marcus Mariota trade rumors are not going away.

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Cowboys extend “Clean” Cole Beasley

The Dallas Cowboys are set to have a busy offseason, but one thing they likely won't have to worry about is their receiving corps.

One day after giving Dez Bryant the franchise tag, Dallas agreed to terms with Cole Beasley on an extension that will keep the wideout in a Cowboys uniform through the 2018 season. Beasley was set to be a restricted free agent this winter. According to Rand Getlin at Yahoo! Sports, the four-year deal is worth $13.6 million with $7 million in guarantees, including a $4 million signing bonus. Incentives could push the total value of the contract to $15.1 million.

Beasley emerged in 2014 as one of the team’s most dependable and productive targets. The 25-year-old ranked fourth on the Cowboys with a career-high 420 receiving yards, and was tied for fourth in both receptions (37) and touchdown catches (four). According to Pro Football Focus, his 48 targets without a dropped pass led all wideouts in the league last year.

He did most of his work out of the slot (281 of 308 routes), giving Tony Romo a reliable target underneath and on third downs. With Beasley and Terrance Williams under contract and Bryant likely to play next season with the franchise tag, the Cowboys can now turn their attention to several other pending key free agents, including running back DeMarco Murray, offensive tackle Doug Free, linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive tackle Henry Melton.

Philadelphia’s other roster moves

The Philadelphia Eagles have parted ways with defensive back Cary Williams, the team announced on Tuesday. Williams -- who signed a three-year, $17 million contract with the team prior to the 2013 season -- started every game for the Eagles over the last two seasons and led all NFL cornerbacks with 2,365 snaps played in that span.

However, he didn’t have much success on the field, ranking 80th (out of 110) in 2013 and 49th (out of 108) in 2014 among cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus‘ grades. Williams’ release was hardly a surprise given that his 2015 cap number of $8.2 million was set to be the fourth-highest on the team. By cutting the 30-year-old, the Eagles will create $6.5 million in cap space for next season.

The Eagles also released veteran linebacker Trent Cole on Wednesday, after the team and Cole couldn't agree on a restructured contract. Cole, a 2005 fifth-round pick by the Eagles, has spent his entire 10-season career in Philadelphia. His 88.5 career sacks ranks second all-time in franchise history, but his performance had declined in recent years. Cole's release will save the Eagles $8.4 million against the cap for 2015.

Changes in Philly

LeSean McCoy trade a year in the making The official logo of Kelly's Philadelphia Ducks

Tannehill “excited” to work with Wallace

The decision by the Miami Dolphins to either dump or keep disgruntled wide receiver Mike Wallace will likely have a significant impact on Ryan Tannehill's performance next season, but the quarterback gave mixed signals when speaking to reporters on Tuesday about his teammate.

According to the Palm Beach Post’s Andrew Abramson, Tannehill said that Wallace was “a talented player” and he was “excited” to work with him next season, but he’s not sure what the front office will do about the situation. Wallace is scheduled to earn nearly $10 million next season, a hefty figure for a player who has not lived up to expectations and was benched in the second half of the season finale.

“It’s out of my hands,” Tannehill added. “I’m along for the ride like everyone else.”

Johnson “laughed” when told he wouldn’t start for Houston

Andre Johnson is a franchise icon in Houston, but it's pretty clear now that he's played his last game in a Texans uniform. More details of the pending breakup emerged early this week, when the wideout told the Houston Chronicle that coach Bill O'Brien informed him he shouldn't expect to catch more than 40 passes next season and that he wouldn't even be a starter on the team.

Johnson, who averaged 102 receptions over the last three seasons, “laughed” when O’Brien explained his potential role. The 33-year-old receiver went on to tell his coach that he’d “be dealing with a miserable football player” if those were the expectations for him in 2015. The Texans’ all-time leading receiver carries a cap charge of $16.1 million for next season and the team could carve out nearly $9 million in cap space if they cut or trade him.

Andre Johnson

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Gruden’s camp to include Mariota, Winston

Jon Gruden's quarterback camp is back for another season on ESPN, and this year the pre-draft show will feature both Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, according to a press release by the network. This is the sixth edition of Gruden's QB camp, which includes interviews and on-field workouts with the former NFL head coach and current ESPN analyst.

The other participants include Baylor’s Bryce Petty, UCLA’s Brett Hundley and Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson. The series debuts on April 7 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and the entire TV schedule will be revealed by ESPN later this month.

Tennessee claims Massaquoi, releases Pollard

The Tennessee Titans announced a couple moves on Tuesday afternoon, claiming linebacker Jonathan Massaquoi off waivers from the Atlanta Falcons and releasing safety Bernard Pollard.

Massaquoi, 26, had 22 tackles and two sacks for the Falcons last season. He is under contract for one more season with a cap hit of $702,215 in 2015. Pollard played in only five games last year after suffering a season-ending torn Achilles in October. The 30-year-old is just one season removed from a strong performance (three interceptions, 99 tackles) in 2013. The Titans will realize $3.2 million in cap savings by cutting Pollard.