Early Birds: State of the Roster: Outside Linebacker

The Eagles roster is at the maximum of 90 players after the draft. We'll spend the next two weeks resetting the table and taking a position-by-position look at the Birds as Chip Kelly begins the process of assessing his 2015 squad.

The schedule: May 18: Quarterbacks/specialists; May 19: Running backs; May 20: Wide receivers/Tight ends; May 21: Offensive line; May 22: Defensive line; May 25: Inside linebackers; May 26: Outside linebackers; May 27: Safeties; May 28: Cornerbacks.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

What's new: Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo.

The Eagles didn't do very much in adding linebackers that played exclusively on the outside this offseason. They did trade for Kiko Alonso and sign free agent Brad Jones, two inside linebackers that Chip Kelly said could also swing outside. Versatility, as we know by now, earns you bonus points in the coach's eyes.

The team was in a bit of bind when it came to how they could approach adding outside linebacker talent, though. If the Eagles knew they could depend on Marcus Smith, there would have been little need to acquire additional help. That seemed to be the plan last year when Smith was drafted in the first round. Give him a year to develop, but show enough that you could plug him into the rotation or even expect him to compete for a starting spot by 2015. But Smith was nowhere near ready in Year 1.

It wouldn't have been a surprise if the Eagles decided they needed to draft a contingency plan, but ultimately the only edge rusher they brought aboard this offseason was undrafted rookie Dewalt-Ondijo. The Duke product was mostly a defensive end in college. He did rush occasionally from a two-point stance, but not enough to suggest that he'll come in and make an immediate push. He's also on the lean side (6-foot-4, 239 pounds) and will need to add muscle to compete against NFL tackles.

What's old: Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Marcus Smith, Bryan Braman, Travis Long.

Barwin earned a contract bump this offseason. It was a minor, but showed that the organization wasn't blind to his production over the last two seasons. While he didn't put up spellbinding sack numbers in 2013, Barwin was an effective pass rusher and saw the fruits of his labor last season. He finished tied for fourth in the NFL with 14-1/2 sacks and was voted into his first Pro Bowl. Barwin's contributions just can't be measured in sacks. He's excellent at setting the edge against the rush and is also the Eagles' best outside linebacker in coverage.

Graham will slide into Trent Cole's old "Predator" spot. While Cole wasn't a natural 3-4 outside backer, but he was more than serviceable and did a lot of grunt work inside. Still, when it came time to renegotiate his contract, the Eagles wanted Cole to take a major pay cut. He balked and signed instead with the Colts, where he can slide back to playing 4-3 defensive end. Graham is probably better suited to play end, as well, but the strides he made in his sophomore year in the 3-4 system were so significant that the Eagles were willing to overlook his coverage inabilities and bring him back with a four-year, $26 million contract. The Eagles are banking on Graham being just as effective playing double the snaps. He was never given that opportunity in his first five seasons.

Two years ago, Bill Davis used four outside linebackers with Casey Matthews subbing in for Barwin on occasion. Last year, he went with just a three-man rotation because of Graham's development. If the plan is the same, the third spot is up for grabs. Smith should be given every opportunity to claim it. He gained around 15 pounds this offseason. While added muscle can be overrated, he seemed to need it. Smith was listed at 251 pounds last year. If he's close to 270 pounds, it's safe to assume that the experiment of moving him inside is over. Smith has the necessary athleticism to play Barwin's "Jack" spot. He's a bright man. But his instincts seemed to be lacking as a rookie. He should be one of the more intriguing players to watch during the spring and summer.

The Eagles added a year to Braman's contract. He was a solid special teams performer. He could fill the third outside linebacker role in a pinch, but ideally he stays on special teams. Long is a wild card. He had the roster made before he tore his ACL last August during a preseason game. The Eagles had hoped to carry Long as a swing linebacker and inside was actually where he tore his knee. He is coming back from the second torn ACL of his career and little will be guaranteed.

Projected lineup: Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Marcus Smith, Bryan Braman.

Even if Smith continues to struggle, it is extremely unlikely that he would be cut. The Eagles would lose nearly $5 million in dead money by releasing their 2014 top draft pick after one season. If Alonso can handle both inside and outside duties, the Eagles could get away with carrying just four outside-exclusive linebackers. If not, Long could snag the fifth spot if he gets back to where he was pre-injury and remains just as versatile.