With Kendricks Locked In, Eagles Linebackers Ready For Big Season
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mychal Kendricks could have waited for free agency. The Eagles Linebacker felt there was no reason to test the market.
On Monday, the team gave Kendricks a four-year contact extension which will keep him an Eagles through 2019. Despite trade rumors during draft week and a calf injury which sidelined Kendricks throughout much of the 2014 season, Kendricks always believed he would remain in the Eagles Nest.
"I never had a doubt," said Kendricks. "I was pretty sure it was going to come, it was just a matter of when. It's one of the biggest moments of my life. It's a really big decision. It's just about security."
The Eagles will have security at middle linebacker this season. Kendricks joins DeMeco Ryans and newly-acquired Kiko Alonso in the middle. With only two starting spots available for the talented trio, Defensive Coordinator Bill Davis vowed to find ways to get all three plenty of snaps throughout the season.
"I think they'll all get a lot of reps," Davis said. "As a matter of fact, I know that. There's three quality players that need to play, and hopefully I can put them in the right situations and let them do what they do best the most amount of times."
One player who might be limited at the start of the season is DeMeco Ryans. The linebacker is coming off a torn Achillies tendon injury, and Davis indicated Ryans may not be at 100-percent at the start of the season. However, Ryans is confident he will be ready when the Eagles face the Falcons on September 14th.
"We'll see," said Ryans. "We've got a lot of time before then. It's kind of tough to speculate. I just play it day by day, which is all we have."
Ryans, Kendricks and Alonso are all hoping to see action on Saturday when the Eagles face the Packers in the preseason. All three were forced to sit out the first two preseason games. All three will get their chance during the regular season, and Kendricks is ready to go forward now that his contract situation is settled.
"I truly believe in what we're doing here," Kendricks said. "I feel like I'm a part of something special. I feel like we're doing things that no other team in the league is doing. I really believe in this team. I feel like we're on a path to greatness."
