Kendricks happy he won't be leaving
Eagles coach Chip Kelly reacted forcefully to speculation the team might deal linebacker Mychal Kendericks, who is heading into the final year of his conrract. Kendricks said he wasn't surprised, but was glad to hear he isn't going anywhere.
The day after trading Brandon Boykin, Chip Kelly moved to cut off speculation that another popular Eagle who might not have ideal Kelly-prototype height could be next.
"MIke Kendricks is not going anywhere. I can tell you that right now. You can write that down in ink, not pencil. Mike's not going anywhere," Eagles coach Kelly said before the team took the field for its first workout of training camp.
Later, Kelly put his arm around Kendricks on the field and told him to expect some questions from reporters after practice.
"He tiold me. I'm here, man," Kendricks said. "I was always relaxed. In this league, you really can control only what you can control, that was my mindset going into it. I wasn't really worried about it at any point, but I'm glad to be here."
Kendricks, 6-0, 240, said there have been no talks about extending his rookie contract. Like Boykin, the corner who was traded to Pittsburgh Saturday night, Kendricks is a 2012 draftee who can become a free agent aftter this season.
"After the season is after the season. We'll worry about that then," Kendricks said. "Until then, I'm just going to ball out like I've been doing."
Speculation about Kendricks leaving was fueled by the Birds' acquisition of inside linebacker Kiko Alonso. With DeMeco Ryans apparently recovered from his Achilles' tear, the team has three standout ILBs for two starting spots. Ryans and Alonso seemed to get the base defense reps Sunday.
"We're just rotating," Kendricks said. "I don't even know if there is a 'one' or a 'two' or a 'three.' "
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Meanwhile, Sam Bradford took first-team QB reps. Kelly said Bradford should start the preseason opener Aug. 16 against Indianapolis, barring setbacks.
"I'm good to go. You guys might even see me pull one, run it up the middle," said Bradford, who is recovering from his second successive left ACL tear. He practiced without a brace Sunday for the first time, Bradford wearing just a black sleeve on his left knee.
"There really haven't been any setbacks," Bradford said.