Chip touts Mathews' size, speed, says Mathis dispute was a money matter

Eagles coach Chip Kelly has high hopes for running back Ryan Mathews, the guy the Birds aimed for in free agency before they realized they could get DeMarco Murray.

At least in the early going, this doesn't look like a reprise of James Casey and Zach Ertz from two years ago, when the Eagles signed tight end Casey in free agency, before drafting Ertz in the second round and effectively ensuring that Casey, eventually released this offseason, would never contribute much beyond special teams.

"Ryan's been a really good addition to us," Kelly said. "Big, physical running back. I don't think you know actually how big he is until you actually pull up next to him. He's almost 230 pounds (though the team lists Mathews at 6-feet, 220) .. He's explosive. When he sees a hole, he can change gears and accelerate through it. We're using him a little bit on kickoff return, I think because of taking advantage of that speed. There's not a lot of guys that have that speed to go along with that size.

"We're really excited about having him. He has worked extremely hard here since we got him. He came in right after we acquired him, working really hard."

Kelly did not discuss the fact that Mathews so far has only participated in workouts without pads with the Eagles, and that his lengthy injury history includes breaking both clavicles in separate incidents in 2012 and sufferering knee and ankle injuries last season that limited him to six games.

Asked about Evan Mathis' contention that Mathis and agent Drew Rosenhaus asked for Mathis's release months ago, and weren't pushing being released this close to training camp, Kelly said: "We were in constant contact with his agents, Ed (Marynowitz, the player personnel VP) and myself, March, April, June."

Kelly was asked about Mathis not being a "culture" fit. Kelly denied this, though it is exactlty what several of Mathis's former teammates cited when asked about his departure -- not because he didn't work hard, but because he let his contract dissatisfaction keep him from optional workouts.

"No, not at all. That's not true. There was a money issue, and we just didn't come to terms on the money issue," said Kelly. Mathis said Tuesday he was planning to report and play under the terms of his contract, which would have paid him $5.5 million this season and $6 million next season.

Kelly also said he doesn't think about "culture" and can't define it. "We have a bunch of guys who work very hard, and that's what we're looking for," said Kelly, who would be in violation of NFL rules if he said he released a player for not attending optional OTAs.  "And Evan works very hard. It was a money decision, and we just weren't on the same page with the money, so."