The Return of a Legend

An Eagles legend is back. Not DeSean Jackson. Think bigger. Not Nick Foles. Think…never mind on that one. Not Zach Ertz. Think bigger.

The Eagles are signing OT Dennis Kelly, per league source.(@TomPelissero reported 1st.)

Kelly, 33, has 54 career starts — including 15 with the Eagles, who drafted him in '12.

He gives the Eagles a veteran swing tackle and H. Roseman vindication for the DGB trade 7 years later

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) July 19, 2023

Kelly is so old that he was drafted and coached by Andy Reid. I guess they called King Dunlap and Winston Justice but those guys were busy.

I like the Kelly signing. The Eagles were lucky the past two years, having Andre Dillard and Jack Driscoll as backup OTs. The addition of Kelly would give them the possibility of having two backup OTs this year. Driscoll would be the backup LT and Kelly the backup RT.

Kelly has size and experience. He was the starting RT for the Titans in 2020. He started 7 games over the last two years, playing for GB and IND. Kelly isn’t meant to be a starter at this point in his career, but he can be a reliable backup.

The Eagles signed UDFA Trevor Reid, a young, talented athlete. Reid and Kelly are polar opposites. I think Reid will take time to develop, but you never know how a player will respond to Jeff Stoutland’s coaching. If Reid is anywhere close to Kelly, he could win the job because of future potential. Kelly’s experience is a major advantage, though. OL is a spot where experience really matters. Kelly has 54 starts and 130 games under his belt.

Josh Sills could be in the mix if his legal situation clears up. No idea what’s going on with that. You certainly can’t count on him re-joining the team. He’s stuck in limbo for now.

UDFA Chim Okorafor is talented, but is raw and needs work. He could be a guy to watch next summer.

Kelly is a smart signing. He is cheap and could help, but doesn’t cost much and you can cut him if things don’t work out.

This would be Kelly’s fourth season with the Eagles. It would also be his fourth Eagles coach.

2012 – Andy Reid
2014 – Chip Kelly
2015 – Kelly, Pat Shurmur
2023 – Nick Sirianni

*****

Howie Roseman has built a loaded roster, but he’s always looking to make it better if possible. There aren’t many spots where a veteran addition is needed, but OT made sense.

The Eagles aren’t completely set at safety and linebacker, but I think Howie will want his young players to show what they can do before he decides if a move is needed.

*****

Speaking of the OL, Brandon Thorn has his OL rankings out.

1.  Eagles (Jeff Stoutland)

LT       Jordan Mailata
LG      Landon Dickerson
C         Jason Kelce
RG      Tyler Steen (R)
RT      Lane Johnson

Positional Spending Rank: 10 ($48.2M)

Notes: The Eagles were my top-ranked unit heading into the 2022 season and remained in the top tier throughout the year. They are set to return four of their five starters (including their four best) and are replacing Isaac Seumalo with rookie fourth-rounder Tyler Steen from Alabama. Steen was a left tackle in college with the play strength and physicality suited to make a successful transition inside as a pro where he will be flanked by two Hall of Fame-caliber players in Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce.

Led by arguably the game’s best developer of O-Line talent in Jeff Stoutland, this is a star-studded group with quality depth (Cam Jurgens, Jack Driscoll) who operate in a run-heavy scheme that is built around accentuating their talent.

Thorn having the Eagles at #1 isn’t surprising. It is interesting that he thinks Steen will start at RG. Thorn is plugged into the OL world and he may be hearing that Steen is the favorite to win that job.

If the Eagles make another deep run this year, the OL will be a key reason.

*****

Great story here about the 2019 Eagles-Pats game.

https://twitter.com/newheightshow/status/1681778462703640576

NE used this trick play and won 17-10. I love how Jason just howls at the story. That was a bitter loss in a frustrating season, but now that a few years have gone by you can appreciate the story.

_