Chip Kelly traded LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills for one primary reason — he doesn’t see the need to pay a 27-year-old running back $12 million, especially in his unique offensive system. So what’s next?
Kelly has created a ton of salary cap space this offseason, but that does not mean he will use a big chunk of it on a free agent running back like C.J. Spiller. Instead, the Philadelphia Eagles are likely to use multiple backs in 2015.
As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, Kelly is trending toward using the same three-tailback system he used at Oregon. We saw him shy away from McCoy at times down the stretch last season, particularly in the red zone. The belief is that Kelly will keep veteran Darren Sproles and likely add a running back in the draft and perhaps another in free agency. This will, in theory, allow him to roll with a more balanced attack.
Kelly landed an NFL head coaching job by lighting up the college football world with his innovative attack. It makes sense that he would try to do the same at the professional level, though the speed of NFL defenses has proved to be a challenge. That said, his unwillingness to pay a running back $12 million is certainly not a unique philosophy.
Bill Belichick has not relied heavily on a featured running back since Corey Dillon carried the ball 345 times in 2004. Sean Payton has taken the same approach with the Saints and John Fox mirrored it with the Broncos. The difference? Guys named Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning.
There has already been plenty of speculation that the Eagles are looking to trade up to draft Marcus Mariota, who played under Kelly at Oregon. One draft day deal to make that happen is reportedly already on the table. And if that does happen, Kelly might as well have his team take the field wearing these uniforms.
