Change at receiver nothing new for Kelly

On the list of offensive upheavals that coach Chip Kelly brought about during the offseason, the decision to let leading wide receiver Jeremy Maclin walk in free agency, a pretty big deal in some ways, has created the least attention and concern from the fans.

Maybe that's because there is so much else to worry about. There is the quarterback situation, with Sam "I Left My Career At Wounded Knee" Bradford slotted to replace Nick Foles. There is the running back position, with DeMarco Murray taking the spot of LeSean McCoy. There is the offensive line, which appears to be as leaky as a colander at the moment.

So, yes, the receiver position is down the list of concerns, even though Maclin was steady throughout 2014 in a pass-heavy offense that rang up nearly 2,400 more yards than the rushing game. It didn't matter whether it was Foles or Mark Sanchez throwing the ball. Maclin produced and earned the large contract he received from the Kansas City Chiefs.

If the Eagles are going to fill that gap during what could be another season in which the passing game dominates the offense - Bradford certainly won't be running any options - then Kelly has to work his magic again.

The drafting of USC's Nelson Agholor in the first round partially addressed that, and it is becoming a popular notion that Jordan Matthews will blossom into more than just a slot receiver in his second season. Maybe Josh Huff gets his real chance, or Miles Austin has something left, or Riley Cooper does more than block, or Jeff Maehl recaptures that Oregon glory. All of that is on the table.

What is most comforting for Eagles fans, however, is that Kelly's history has always counted for more than the resumés of the players who line up at the receiver positions. In his eight seasons of high-level college and NFL coaching - two years as offensive coordinator at Oregon, four years as Oregon head coach, and two years with the Eagles - there was only one season in which his leading receiver was the same as the previous season. (It was Maehl, by the way, 2009 and 2010.) In eight years, seven different guys have led the Kelly teams in receptions.

In that light, the transition in 2014 from DeSean Jackson to Maclin, and the transition this year from Maclin to Agholor or Matthews or someone else, isn't an upheaval at all. It is just the way Kelly views the position. Considering that his plug-and-play attitude extends elsewhere, it might be how he views all positions.

Perhaps it is hubris to believe that it is the system that makes the roster rather than the other way around, but it is a philosophy that has worked for Kelly so far. With the notable exception of winning a championship, of course. (Or, in the case of the Eagles, a playoff game.)

In Kelly's last three seasons at Oregon, he had two quarterbacks and three leading receivers and compiled a 36-4 record despite the turnover. His teams scored 40 points or more in 32 of those 40 games.

The main difference between NFL and college players, at least from a longevity standpoint, is that the players don't run out of technical eligibility in the pros, although you wouldn't know it from the way Kelly shuffles the deck.

In the offense the Eagles have run for the last two seasons, the passing routes are not defined by over-the-top game-changers, but by crossing routes, slants, and quick hitters that are easily run by the receivers, tight ends, and backs, and relatively easily completed by the quarterbacks. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur calls it a "quarterback-friendly" system, and Kelly said, "Any system that's not QB-friendly is probably a bad system."

If Mark Sanchez can completely turn around his NFL history and complete a hair under 60 percent of his tries, that's a pretty good recommendation right there. It's also a good explanation of why Kelly went out on a limb to trade for Bradford, a superior talent but a decided risk. Kelly's fallback position is Sanchez and, hey, he can make that work, too.

Given that, it's no surprise that Kelly didn't find it necessary to equal the $22 million guarantee Maclin got from the Chiefs. To him, considering what the receivers are asked to do here, there shouldn't be a dropoff in production with younger, cheaper players as long as they run the same efficient routes and catch the ball. There aren't that many guys who can do what a DeSean Jackson can do, but there are plenty willing to go over the middle on an eight-yard slant. Agholor is considered a great route-runner whose change-of-direction speed will make him a great fit for Kelly. So, plug him in.

One thing is certain. For the eighth time in nine seasons since hitting the college and pro big time, Chip Kelly will have a different leading receiver this season. Almost as certain is that it will be someone else again the following season.