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Chip Kelly's decision on Sam Bradford is very interesting

By Mark Eckel | For NJ Advance Media
on August 14, 2015 at 12:33 PM

PHILADELPHIA — Chip Kelly could have done it the easy way, the non-controversial way and said Sam Bradford would play a series Sunday in the Eagles' preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

If you haven't been paying attention that's not the way Kelly does things. A coach who trades away the franchise's all-time leading rusher and starting quarterback and releases both starting guards all on one offseason, isn't looking for the easy way. And he certainly isn't afraid of controversy.

So instead Kelly stood in front of the gathered media before Friday's training camp practice and said Bradford would not play Sunday.

Red flag raised.

"Sam will not play. That was my decision. Sam is not happy about it,'' Kelly said. "I just felt he's only been out here a couple of weeks.''

Kelly went on to say that Bradford is fine — and the fact is he has not missed one day of practice, or even one drill in practice says volumes— it was just his decision to give him another week.

Bradford is coming back from his second torn ACL in two years, so there were questions raised about if and when he would be healthy from the time the Eagles sent quarterback Nick Foles and a 2016 second-round pick to St. Louis to acquire him in March.

From that day until camp opened Aug. 2, Eagles fans worried about a lot, but most of their concern centered around Bradford and his health.

When he showed up ready to go the first day of camp and every day after that, some of that stress was relieved. Now, with him not playing the opener those fears will return.

All the optimism, all the "hey Bradford looks great'' talk has been erased and replaced by the worry again that his health is a question.

Even though Kelly says he's fine.

"It's just my call,'' Kelly said. "There's a fine line. You watch (Washington tight end) Niles Paul, who's a good player, go down last night. He's done for the year. We went back and forth about it, but it was my decision.''

Kelly did say Bradford would go against the Ravens all week in practice next week and play against them, Saturday, Aug. 22.

At least for now.

Mark Eckel may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MarkEckel08. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.

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No reason for Eagles fans to panic over DeMarco Murray

By Mark Eckel | For NJ Advance Media
on August 14, 2015 at 5:30 AM

PHILADELPHIA — In terms of strange Eagles training camp stories it ranks somewhere between Reggie White suing the team and Terrell Owens doing push-ups on his front lawn.

Running back DeMarco Murray has stolen the spotlight from quarterback Sam Bradford's knee the past week by doing nothing.

Murray, the free agent acquisition from Dallas, has barely practiced through the first 10 days of camp. When he has been out there he's either gotten most of his reps with the second team offense in team drills, or has just done individual drills and called it a day.

RELATED: Murray misses practice again

Is he hurt? He was asked that Wednesday and said no, he's fine. He also shows no sign of injury.

Is he sick? Head coach Chip Kelly said that was the case the first few days of camp, but he's returned since then.

Is he having a problem with the playbook? Murray hinted at that a bit and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said he "knows our basic plays.'' Which left open the fact that he might not know the non-basic plays.

Kelly should shed some light on the Murray Mystery Case when he addresses the media Friday morning — the head coach has not spoken publicly since Tuesday. In any event it's no reason to panic, at least not yet.

If Murray is hurt, it's nothing serious or he wouldn't be out there at all. And he has plenty of time to heal before the regular season opener in Atlanta.

If he's sick, the same thing. And if he is sick, again he probably wouldn't be on the field at all.

And if he doesn't know the whole playbook, that might be more of a concern, but he still has a month to learn the rest of it. And with a $40 million contract he can hire a private tutor.

What Murray's absence has done is cause some eyebrows to raise and some eyes to roll among his teammates. When safety Malcolm Jenkins ran off the field, grabbed a chair out of one of the party tents and brought it out for Murray to sit down in the middle of practice, it was funny. It also sent a message.

But that too will go away if Murray is the back he was in Dallas last year when he led the league in rushing, and the back the Eagles felt he would be when they signed him this offseason.

Former Eagle Garry Cobb, watching practice Thursday, told a story about when he was in Detroit and the Lions drafted running back Billy Sims, who ironically like Murray came from Oklahoma.

"In practice he didn't do anything,'' Cobb said of the future star. "We thought we got a bust. Then Sunday, he went out and gained 150 yards and we all changed our minds.''

So relax on what Murray is doing, or not doing, at the NovaCare Complex in August. Don't even worry what he does in the next four preseason games.

Monday night in Atlanta, Sept. 14, is when Murray will start to show if the Eagles were right in bringing the former Cowboy on board.

Mark Eckel may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MarkEckel08. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.

I tihnk it's smart not to play sam in the preseason. I wish Fisher would have been that smart last year.

Stranger wrote:I tihnk it's smart not to play sam in the preseason. I wish Fisher would have been that smart last year.

I'm sure at the time the medical staff...and probably the players themselves, were relaying to the coaches that everything felt good. But in retrospect, it seems like it might have been better to slow play the return of both Long and Bradford.

Bringing Gurley along slowly this year is like shutting the barn doors after the horses have got out.

I think Chip Kelly is the most fascinating coach in the NFL right now. The way he runs his team on and off the field. Also when he does pressers. When Chip Kelly talks it's interesting. I like listening to him.

BuiltRamTough wrote:I think Chip Kelly is the most fascinating coach in the NFL right now. The way he runs his team on and off the field. Also when he does pressers. When Chip Kelly talks it's interesting. I like listening to him.

He does walk that genius/train wreck tightrope pretty nicely. I'm certainly more interested in the Eagles because of him...

BuiltRamTough wrote:I think Chip Kelly is the most fascinating coach in the NFL right now. The way he runs his team on and off the field. Also when he does pressers. When Chip Kelly talks it's interesting. I like listening to him.

Here is my issue with Chip...I do recognize him as an offensive genius, however, what has he ever won? Oregon was on the upswing under Mike Bellotti, however, Chip did make the Ducks better, but never won a National Title and has not won a playoff game in the NFL although it's only been two years.

Again I like his style, however, his team in college in big games used to wilt like a faded rose from days gone by.