Chip Kelly didn’t make the move from the University of Oregon to the Philadelphia Eagles to follow the same mold that his predecessors set.
Kelly is doing things his way, and so far that includes high-tempo practices, no more junk food and offensive players experimenting at new positions, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Kelly has already tried tight end Clay Harbor at outside linebacker and wideout Jason Avant at defensive back.
I’ve always wondered why more teams don’t do this. Typically the move is made when players are exiting college — J.R. Sweezy made the move from defensive tackle to guard last season for the Seahawks — but Bill Belichick has moved several players around as veterans including putting wide receivers Troy Brown and Julian Edelman at cornerback, Matthew Slater at safety and defensive end Alex Silvestro at tight end.
If a football player makes the NFL, they’re obviously among the best athletes in the sport. So if there’s a lack of depth at a position, it would make sense to try a player at a different position rather than grabbing one off the scrap heap.
The move from wide receiver to cornerback paid off in spades for Seattle’s Richard Sherman, though that move was made in college. But what’s to say the 30-year-old Avant can’t find a new life at a different position?
Photo via Facebook/Jason Avant
