We continue our series looking at each team on the Kansas City Chiefs 2017 schedule. We already looked at the Chiefs Week 1 game against the New England Patriots so let’s move onto the Chiefs Week 2 opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.
We asked SB Nation’s Eagles blog, Bleeding Green Nation, for the information on the Eagles offseason below. The Chiefs-Eagles game will be a fun one because of all the connections, from Andy Reid to Doug Pederson. The Chiefs staff still has plenty of Eagles connections. Pederson has his new franchise quarterback and picked up a new receiver for him so this offseason in Philly has looked fun.
I’m not sure what to make of this game. The Eagles are kind of an unknown for him with such a young quarterback and a head coach the Chiefs know so well. I tend to lean to Big Red getting the best of his former protege.
Thanks to Bleeding Green Nation for the preview ...
Notable free agent additions: Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, LeGarrette Blount, Chris Long, Patrick Robinson, Chance Warmack, Nick Foles
Notable free agent departures: Bennie Logan, Nolan Carroll, Connor Barwin (released), Leodis McKelvin (released), Chase Daniel (released)
Trades: Acquired DT Timmy Jernigan and pick No. 99 from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for pick No. 74
Poll
Who wins the Chiefs-Eagles Week 2 matchup?
Draft picks expected to contribute as rookies
First round pick Derek Barnett will be a key part of the Eagles’ pass rush rotation. Sidney Jones will potentially miss his entire rookie season as he recovers from an Achilles injury. Rasul Douglas could challenge for a starting role at cornerback. Donnel Pumphrey is expected to be a significant role player on offense.
Biggest offseason addition
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Alshon Jeffery is easily the biggest addition Philadelphia made this offseason. The Eagles arguably owned the NFL’s worst wide receiving corps last year. Carson Wentz desperately needed a legitimate No. 1 target and the Eagles gave him one by signing Jeffery.
Biggest storyline heading into training camp
Will Carson Wentz step up in Year 2? The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft showed promise as a rookie but he also went through some struggles. Now that he has a year under his belt and an improved supporting cast, the hope is Wentz can lead the Eagles back to the playoffs.
Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp
Is Doug Pederson the right head coach for this team? Not unlike Wentz, Pederson was up and down in his first year on job. He seemed to do an overall decent job given the lack of talent he had to work with. Now the excuses are gone and the team needs to improve in his second year.
Notable injuries heading into training camp
Second round pick Sidney Jones is recovering from an Achilles injury and could potentially miss the entire 2017 season. Starting slot receiver Jordan Matthews missed most of spring practices due to lingering knee tendinitis. Backup defensive tackle Beau Allen suffered a pectoral injury in February. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready by Week 1.