Eagles' Barner a Chip guy on a Doug team

EVERYBODY KNOWS that Chase Daniel is a Doug Pederson "guy," brought in and given a three-year, $21 million contract despite an anorexic NFL playing resume because of his backwards-and-forwards knowledge of Pederson's offense and his ability to help teach it to others.

Leodis McKelvin, Nigel Bradham and Ron Brooks all are in Philadelphia because they are Jim Schwartz "guys," brought in by the new defensive coordinator and expected to play important roles in his defense.

Sports are not unlike politics in that, when there is a regime change, there usually is significant turnover. The new boss prefers to have his "guys" - people he trusts and is comfortable with - and, depending on whether we're talking about a dictatorship or a democracy, shows the door to or shoots many of his predecessor's "guys."

Which brings us to Kenjon Barner.

The Eagles running back is a Chip Kelly "guy" through and through, which you would think isn't a particularly good thing to be right now at the NovaCare Complex.

He excelled for Kelly at the University of Oregon, and was acquired in a trade by Kelly two years ago.

You would think Barner might want to distance himself from his former coach right now. But you would be wrong.

He's grateful for what Kelly did for him. He considers Chip a friend. The guy recruited him. He helped him make the not-always-easy transition from an immature kid to a man. He traded for him and gave him an opportunity to play last season.

"I don't care (about being considered a Kelly guy)," Barner said the other day. "I played under Chip at Oregon. Chip is my guy. I love him to death. But Chip is not who I am.

"Chip didn't go out and run the plays. He called them, but at the end of the day, I'm a football player. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't a football player. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a particular skill set that (the Eagles) like.

"So, people say I'm a Chip Kelly guy. And I am a Chip guy. But in the end, more than anything, I'm a football player."

The 5-9, 195-pound Barner showed some flashes last season. Playing behind DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry on just 28 rushing attempts and had nine receptions in 10 games.

With Mathews sidelined with a concussion for three games in late November and early December, Barner rushed for 106 yards on 23 carries in losses to Tampa Bay and Detroit and an upset win over New England. He had 39 yards on nine carries in the win over the Patriots.

The Eagles aren't exactly flush with running backs at the moment. Murray was shipped to the Tennessee Titans in March, Sproles will turn 33 in two weeks, and Mathews has missed 13 games to injuries the last two seasons.

The Eagles drafted a running back in the fifth round (Wendell Smallwood) and signed a couple more after the draft (rookies Cedric O'Neal and Byron Marshall).

But if Barner impresses in training camp and the preseason, his link to Kelly won't matter one iota as far as his chances of making the team and earning playing time. Pederson and offensive coordinator Frank Reich will embrace him as one of their "guys."

With Murray gone and Sproles having skipped OTAs to spend the spring with his wife and kids in California, Barner has gotten a lot of reps this spring, and has looked good - though that compliment always needs to be accompanied by a they're-in-shorts-and-no-pads asterisk.

"It's nice getting reps, but if you don't capitalize on them, it's useless," Barner said. "My mind-set is to go out there and capitalize on them.

"I just think now I'm mature to a level that I have an understanding of what I need to do to capitalize on each and every opportunity I'm given."

Barner has been exploding through holes, and you only need to take one quick look at him to see that he's added some significant muscle in his upper body.

"He's bigger; he's definitely swolled up," said wide receiver Josh Huff, yet another Kelly guy. "He's hitting the holes a lot harder. I feel like he's more comfortable in this offense. He seems to be a lot more comfortable in where to hit the hole and where the cutbacks are going to be."

The Eagles finished 21st in the league in rushing average last season, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. That was their lowest rushing average since 2005. That needs to improve if the Eagles have any hope of contending for a playoff spot.

Kelly essentially had a one-size-fits-all run game, which was one of the many reasons Murray underachieved last season.

Kelly ran the same plays out of the same formations for all of his running backs, even if their skill sets were different.

"I'm not saying it was right or wrong," Pederson said in February before the team traded Murray. "I just know that the different style of running that I'll bring will utilize (the styles) of all (of the running backs).

"You got a downhill guy (Murray). You got a slasher (Mathews). And you got a great quick guy in Sproles who can create mismatches on defense, whether he's coming out of the backfield or lining up as a receiver.

"Instead of using the same plays with (all of the) guys, we're going to be under center. We're going to be in two-back, one-back, empty (backfield). We're going to utilize all of their strengths to help our offense."

Tailoring plays to fit the skill sets of his running backs will come later. Most of the spring OTAs have been spent just teaching the new offense and all of its verbiage to Barner and the rest of the players.

"Right now, it's just a matter of trying to grasp whatever the play is," Barner said. "Nothing scripted or tailored to a particular individual. Just everybody getting comfortable in the offense. So that if he calls a play, you'll be comfortable running it.

"I'm sure down the line (tailoring plays for each back) will happen. But as of now, it's just guys getting familiar with the play."

Kelly's offense wasn't very complicated. He had only a handful of run plays and his passing game was all about running to spots.

Everything revolved around tempo. Play fast and you don't need to fool anybody, Kelly believed. The defense will make its own mistakes as fatigue sets in.

Mathews averaged a career-high 5.1 yards per carry last season, but he had just 106 carries in 13 games. He said he likes Pederson's West Coast hybrid.

"(I like the) zone running," he said. "That's what I ran all through college and with the Chargers a little bit. It's been fun learning it again and going out there and running the plays and getting used to it."

There are no questions about Mathews' talent. For him, it's strictly a matter of durability. He has missed three or more games in four of his six pro seasons. He's had 200-plus carries in just two of those six seasons.

"It's football," he said. "Some people are luckier than others. I have a running style. That's who I am. I'm not going to change.

"I've missed games, but I've also made the Pro Bowl (in 2011). My thing right now is just to focus on learning the offense and getting in tiptop shape."

Darren Sproles and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who also had skipped all the team's voluntary OTAs, both will be participating in the three-day mandatory minicamp that begins Tuesday. They were at the NovaCare Complex on Monday for their required precamp physicals. Cox stayed away from the voluntary workouts while his agent continued to negotiate with the Eagles on a long-term deal. Cox is entering the option year of his rookie contract. He is scheduled to make $7.8 million this season but is looking for a deal that would make him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league . . . Connor Barwin and his Make The World Better Foundation raised $200,000 last week at their third annual benefit concert at Union Transfer. The proceeds will go to the foundation's next Philadelphia park-renovation project at Waterloo Playground. Barwin has raised $685,000 for playground renovation at the three benefit concerts.

@Pdomo

Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog