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Factoid

Fly, Eagles, Fly

Dramatic turnaround in two short years

When the Eagles fired Chip Kelly just two years ago, nobody would have thought the trade-gutted team he left behind would go on to win a Super Bowl just two years later. In fact, it didn't. The team that hoisted the trophy on Sunday night was very different.

Of the 22 offensive and defensive starters just two years ago, plus the place kicker, the Eagles had only seven of those players in the lineup against the Patriots. (Listed in bold.) Virtually everyone else was drafted, traded for, or signed in free agency in either 2016 or 2017.

EAGLES STARTERS, 2015 VS 2017
PositionStarter (2015)Starter (2017)How acquired?
QBSam BradfordCarson Wentz/Nick FolesDraft/FA (2016/2017)
RBDeMarco MurrayLeGarrette BlountFA (2017)
RBRyan MathewsJay AjayiTrade (2017)
WRJordan MatthewsAlshon JefferyFA (2017)
WRJosh HuffTorrey SmithFA (2017)
WRRiley CooperNelson AgholorDraft
TEZach ErtzZach ErtzDraft
LTJason PetersHalapoulivaati VaitaiDraft (2016)
LGAllen BarbreStefen WiesniewskiFA (2016)
CJason KelceJason KelceDraft
RGMatt TobinBrandon BrooksFA (2016)
RTLane JohnsonLane JohnsonDraft
DTBeau AllenTim JerniganTrade (2017)
DTFletcher CoxFletcher CoxDraft
DECedric ThorntonChris LongFA (2017)
DEBrandon GrahamBrandon GrahamDraft
MLBDeMeco RyansNigel BradhamFA (2016)
OLBMychal KendricksMychal KendricksDraft
OLBConnor BarwinNajee GoodeFA
CBE.J. BiggersRonald DarbyTrade (2017)
CBEric RoweJalen MillsDraft (2016)
FSMalcolm JenkinsMalcolm JenkinsFA
SSWalter ThurmondRodney McLeodFA (2016)
PKCaleb SturgisJake ElliottFA (2017)

About two-thirds of them (15) were acquired since 2016; about 40 percent of them (9 of 23) were acquired in 2017. Brand-new coaching staff since 2015, too.

So if your NFL team was terrible and seemingly talent-thin this season, don't despair. Just two years from now, maybe they'll be hosting the Lombardi Trophy.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index