By GORDON GLANTZ

@Managing2Edit

Gordonglantz50@gmail.com

GORDONVILLE – Cue up picture of the USS Enterprise with standard background music. The seen is bridge, where there are concerned looks on faces …

Captain Kirk: Captain’s Log, Stardate 93164.67. Our path to the Eagles’ opening of training camp has been obstructed by the appearance of some alien beings. We are in a holding pattern.

Mr. Sulu: Look, Captain, there’s another one.

Captain Kirk: Spock? Advise.

Mr. Spock (raising one eyebrow and appearing unfazed): Highly logical, Captain, and not without precedent. Without Andy Reid as the coach, there would be no reason to panic. It appears we are encountering the off-the-radar players who will shake up the depth chart once training camp and the preseason begins.

Dr. McCoy: Dammit, Spock! I don’t need anyone to shake up my depth chart. Just give me my flask of whiskey and a few snowballs to throw at Santa Claus – or Jimmy Johnson.

Captain Kirk: Are they dangerous, Spock?

Mr. Spock: To the contrary, Captain. They can be very helpful. Remember Trey Burton last summer? They may or may not make the team, but they are worth examining and pose little risk.

Mr. Chekov: I never understood that sport.

Dr. McCoy: That’s because you grew up with soccer.

Captain Kirk: Scottie, can you get us around this?

Mr. Scott: No way around it, Captain. I’ll need more time.

Lt. Uhura: I’m picking up a signal Captain, they wish to reveal themselves.

Captain Kirk: Spock, McCoy, Mandatory Expendable Extra in a Red Shirt … we’re beaming down.

Dr. McCoy: Oh no, not me, Jim.

Captain Kirk: Yes, you, McCoy. There could be injuries.

Mr. Spock: It’s football. Impossible – and highly illogical to assume – that there won’t be injuries, which means more opportunities for these beings.

With that, they are transported to the Planet NovaCare to investigate the players (indicated in bold letters) who are currently deep on the Eagles depth chart but are likely to rattle a few cages and make final cuts difficult. One or two, like Burton, might make the 53-man roster. Several will earn spots on the practice squad or get stashed on injured reserve. Others will, at the least, make the team better by creating competition (and giving us something to talk about besides Tim Tebow).

OFFENSE

LINE: The Eagles are entering the season with the belief that All-Pro tackler Jason Peters will remain in top form and former first-round pick Lane Johnson will evolve to that level, giving them two bookends at the tackle position. Add in Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce, and the theory seems to be that average lunch-pail types like Allen Barbe and someone else – likely Matt Tobin, Andrew Gardner or Dennis Kelly – and they will be good to go. So much so, that Evan Mathis was allowed to walk for no compensation and no linemen were added in the draft. This opens up two or three roster spots, depending on how many active linemen they want to keep and on their versatility — for some guys whose jerseys are not exactly hot sellers. However, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland has put a great deal of overtime drilling the likes of Kevin Graf and Josh Andrews (no relation to Shawn or Stacy), during their stints on the practice squad a year ago. Graf (6-6, 309) was a four-year starter at USC before signing with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie in 2014. He was even on the active roster for a spell. Graf was a college tackle but has likely worked inside. Andrews (6-2, 311), a guard out of Oregon State, has taken snaps at center. Stoutland also has connection to Jared Wheeler (6-5, 320) from Miami (Fla.), who is a guard/center. That versatility gives him a chance to beat out David Molk, who is strictly a center (except in an extreme emergency) or the more undersized center/guard Julian Vandervelde (6-2, 300 and no relation to the Flyers’ fourth-line forward Chris VandeVelde).

RECEIVER: The first five would seem to be set with Jordan Matthews, rookie Nelson Agholor, Riley Cooper, Josh Huff and Miles Austin. If they keep six receivers, special teams ace Seyi Ajirotutu, would likely have the edge over Jeff Maehl (despite Maehl’s Oregon connection). But training camp and preseason games, by nature, offer extended auditions unknown receivers. A year ago, Quron Pratt – unsigned out of Rutgers – did just that and earned a paycheck on the practice squad. The Eagles signed three undrafted free agents with intriguing size and upside in Philly native Rasheed Bailey (6-2, 205; Delaware Valley College), John Harris (6-2, 218; Texas) and Devante Davis (6-3, 215; UNLV).

TIGHT END: A year ago, the aforementioned Burton played so well in the preseason – catching every ball thrown his way and tackling anything that moved on special teams – that an exception was made and four tight ends were kept. After third tight end James Casey was released, it would have seemed logical that they would save the roster spot and go with three, with Burton getting an expanded role in the offense. However, the Eagles have brought in three tight ends – an excessive number– to likely battle it out for one practice squad spot. Eric Tomlinson (6-6, 263; Texas-El Paso) would not only seem to have the inside track, but also the chance to rival Kelce for the wildest beard.

RUNNING BACK: Again, it comes down to math, and how many Chip Kelly wants to keep on the active roster. The three-headed monster of DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles projects as the best in a league loaded with “by-committee” approaches. With each playing a vital role in the rotation, and given Murray’s and Mathews’ health histories, look for a lot Matthew Tucker and Kenjon Barner in the preseason. Neither is really an unknown, though. Tucker spent the last two years on the practice squad and could be eligible for one more. Barner was a standout for Kelly at Oregon who was in training camp briefly, cut and then brought back under the cover of darkness to the practice squad. The hard-running Tucker (6-1, 227) has always been a preseason standout and Kelly has mentioned Barner, who is more of a third-down back/return man (he is 5-9, 185), by name several times this offseason.

QUARTERBACK: N/A … We know the names, we are just sure who will be playing.

DEFENSE

LINE: Last year, the Eagles kept seven and six rotated enough to keep the unit highly effective on a weekly basis. The odd man out was fifth-round pick Taylor Hart, who was on the roster but never active on game day. While seventh-round pick Brian Mihalik is likely ticketed for seasoning on the practice squad, two guys who could press for a roster spot are Frank Mays and Travis Raciti. When players are cut but brought back a year later, it means the coaches saw something they liked. Such is the case with Mays (6-9, 291), who barely played until his senior year at Florida A&M but was likely asked to work on some skills on his own. Meanwhile, Raciti (6-5, 285) was rated as a high as a mid-round draft pick after racking up 14.5 career sacks as a two-year captain at San Jose State but somehow slid out of the seven-round meat market, only to be scooped up by the Eagles. For either, sticking would mean beating out Hart, or maybe even Brandon Bair, for the seventh spot. A tall order – given that Bair played well in a reserve role last year and that a draft pick and a year of development was invested in Hart – but not impossible (even though both Bair and Hart are Oregon guys).

LINEBACKER: So we have Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks, DeMeco Ryans and rookie Jordan Hicks inside and the outside is set with Pro Bowler Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, last-year’s first-round bust Marcus Smith and special-teams ace Bryan Braman. Free agent Brad Jones, who can play inside or outside (and has some starting experience in Green Bay), would be there for insurance. Well, not so fast. Don’t count your eight or nine linebackers until they are hatched. Two players coming off injury, Travis Long and Najee Goode, are well-liked by the coaching staff. A year ago, Long (6-4, 255) had the team made, probably over Goode and certainly over Casey Matthews, having learned to man inside linebacker while still showing his pass-rusher burst from the outside. But the injury bug caught up to him yet again. A shoulder injury hurt his draft status in 2013, despite a solid career at Washington State (20 ½ sacks, 42 for a loss), and he tore his left knee ligament in the 2014 preseason finale. Assuming he stays healthy, which is a big assumption, his better grasp on the defense could push the likes of Smith onto the street. And with other special-teams specialists on the roster, one has to wonder if Braman becomes more expendable. Goode (6-0, 244), placed on injured reserve after the season opener last year, is a solid special teamer – lauded by Kelly for his “extra gear” — has played in 18 NFL games (making one start for the Birds in 2013) and could press Braman , or even Jones, for a roster spot.

SECONDARY: We have free agent prize Byron Maxwell at one corner and either Nolan Carroll or rookie Eric Rowe at the other. Brandon Boykin, much to his chagrin, is the slot corner and Malcolm Jenkins will likely be joined at safety by Walter Thurmond. All other spots are up for grabs, although one would think last year’s fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins and special-teams standout Chris Maragos would be fairly safe. A guy to watch is 2014 fifth-round pick Ed Reynolds, who got a slow start last year because he was out of Stanford and missed all the post-draft mini-camps. In preseason games, he seemed active in pass coverage and a willing tackler, but was kept on the practice squad while more shovel-ready safeties – Jerome Couplin III and Chris Prosinki — were signed. While both those guys are back in the fold, Reynolds would seem to have to overtake 2013 fifth-round pick Earl Wolff to avoid a second year on the practice squad. Don’t be surprised if he does just that.

SPECIAL TEAMS

KICKER: N/A

PUNTER: While veteran punter Donnie Jones would not appear to be in any immediate danger of being out of work, he did slip a notch last season. It was enough for the Eagles to bring in a second leg in rookie Kip Smith of Oklahoma State. The 235-pound Smith, who can also double as a kickoff specialist, will get plenty of preseason work. If he excels, he could be kept around as an eventual heir apparent.

RETURNERS: Well, Sproles made the Pro Bowl last year as the return specialist (he was also used on offense more than he was by Kelly as the season wore on), and Huff showed promise after taking a kickoff back 106 yards (a franchise record). Meanwhile, Agholor was a lethal punt returner at USC and can handle kickoffs. That doesn’t mean others who are more expendable – like Barner — won’t get chances in the preseason, where long and exciting returns are the norm. It becomes a prime vehicle to get noticed. The ability to make something happen can tell coaches they have a “football” talent, even if they chances of them ever being regular-season options as returners are low. Sixth-round pick JaCorey Shepherd, a defensive back from Kansas State, is a former wide receiver and was a decent kickoff returner in college. And Raheem Mostert, a high-end backup running back at Purdue, was signed as an undrafted free agent for his return game prowess (26.0 yard average on kickoffs, including two for touchdowns, and is the school’s all-time leader in return yardage). He’ll also get some early-game snaps in the backfield.

By GORDON GLANTZ

GordonGlantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2Edit

GORDONVILLE — The 2015 NHL Draft is considered stronger than the impressive Class of 2013 (Nathan Mackinnon, Sean Monahan, Seth Jones) and has the potential of being on a par with that of 2003 (three All-Stars in the first 14 picks, Shea Weber in the second round).

A lot of that impression has to do with the mortal-lock top two picks, franchise centers Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, but there is also exciting depth at all positions. In 2003, the back end of the first round included future standouts Zach Parise, Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry and others. Meanwhile, Weber highlighted a second-round group that also featured David Backes and Joe Pavelski. (The Flyers didn’t have a second-round pick in 2003, but netted Jeff Carter and Mike Richards at No. 11 and 24, respectively, in the first round.)

Notice what is missing from those names?

They are easy to pronounce. They are all of North American – Canadian or US – origin.

While once-in-decade talents McDavid (Canadian) and Eichel (American) will make the 2015 draft (June 26-27, Sunrise, Fla.) historic, even if followed by 13 busts, the depth – projected to have first-round talents still into the second round and second-round talents well into the third – comes from a notable collection of European players.

It is not simply that they learned to play hockey in Europe. Some of the best players in the world spent all, or most, of their career overseas.

Finnish legend Raimo Helminen played 117 games in the NHL early in his career, as compared to 977 in Sweden and his native Finland, which he represented six times in the Olympics. Dieter Hegen and Udo Kissling (one NHL game) each appeared in five Olympics for Germany. Petterr Thoresen never played a shift in the NHL but is considered a hockey legend in Norway, having played in five Olympics.

And then there were all the former greats from the USSR squad that won seven gold medals from 1956 to 1988, with the only interruptions coming in the United States in 1960 and 1980, who never got to play in the NHL because of the Cold War.

Top-end European talents began to appear on NHL rosters in the 1970s – with Toronto setting the pace by importing Swedes Borje Salming and Inge Hammarstrom – but the NHL didn’t really reflect the best the world could offer until the 1990s, after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Ever since professionals were allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics, Canada has captured three gold medals (2002, 2010 and 2014) and the USA two silvers (2002, 2006). The Czech Republic claimed a gold (1998) and bronze (2006), Sweden has taken gold (2006) and silver (2014), while Finland (silver in 2006 and bronze in 2010 and 2014) and Russia (silver in 1998, bronze 2002) are always in the highly competitive mix.

A scan of World Under-18 and Under-20 tournaments shows similar results, with the likes of Switzerland (fourth last year in the Under-18 fray) skating into the picture to further spread the wealth.

What, then, in the difference in more recent drafts – particularly in 2015?

NHL teams are less reticent to pull the trigger and invest in a high pick on Europeans. Why? They are less fearful that the picks would go wasted if European players that were not ticketed for superstardom (i.e. Peter Forsberg, taken fourth overall in 1991 by the Philadelphia Flyers, only to be the key piece in a trade for Eric Lindros, a Canadian) decided to play their careers overseas in leagues like the SEL (Swedish Elite League) and KHL (Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League) instead of accepting two-way contracts to toil in the minor leagues of North America in hopes of climbing the ladder to the NHL.

Draft-eligible Europeans, at age 18, are showing their willingness by increasingly playing Junior Hockey in Canada and enrolling in potentate NCAA schools in the United States. An example is Sweden’s Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson of Sweden. A likely second- or third-round pick this year, Forsbacka-Karlsson will be playing next year at powerhouse Boston University to help fill Eichel’s void. If he were playing in Sweden, there is a chance his draft stock would not be as high.

As a result, 36 of the top 100 players for this year’s draft –as rated by the Hockey News – are of European origin.

The group includes a fair share of Russians, Swedes, Czechs and Finns. But there are some notable additions to enhance the depth. Ranked No. 13 is Swiss winger Timo Meier.

Meier and man-child Russian forward Yevgeni Svechnikov might be the first two players draft out of the same Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QBJHL), where it was once an oddity for even a North American not of French-Canadian descent to lace up the skates.

But there is more, enough to prove 2015 is more the kicking in the door of a trend than an oddity.

The family of winger Daniel Spring, ranked 25^th, moved to Canada from the Netherlands so he could focus on hockey. One of the top-rated goalies, at No. 61, is Matej Tomek of Slovakia. Fellow Slovakian, winger Radovan Bondra, is ranked No. 81.

Before the seven rounds are complete, don’t be surprised to see Danes, Germans and Austrians have their names called.

And the net is only going be cast wider in years to come. An example is David Levin, who was born in Israel and was sent to live with relatives in Canada to develop his skills. He was recently drafted first overall in the OHL junior league, making him a hot name to watch come 2018.

This was once considered a situation where the risk portion of risk-reward of overloading on Europeans was simply too great for some teams to take. But not anymore.

It is a matter of survival, of staying competitive.

One of those teams was the Flyers, who have remained fairly xenophobic – as compared to other teams – until recently reaching across the pond to pad their roster with more venerable Europeans (Austrian Michael Raffl in 2013, Frenchman Pierre-Edoard Bellemare in 2014 and Russian Evgeni Medvedev this offseason).

In a bitter irony, the first NHL team to draft a Russian (“Soviet” at the time) was the Flyers, who tabbed Viktor Khatulev 160^th overall in 1975. He ended up not knowing he was ever drafted until years later and was allegedly murdered in 1994, at the age of 39.

Since then, the Flyers – while employing their share of Swedes and Finns – shied away from Russians and Czechs in the draft. They paid the ultimate price, getting swept in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals by a Detroit team led by five Russians and four Swedes (the Flyers had zero Russians, one Swede who played in more than 34 games, one Finn and one Czech who played in more than 18 games).

In a recent Hockey News article about the tragic life and death of the volatile Khatulev, who lost his wife in a car accident was left to raise a young daughter while battling alcoholism, former Flyers star center and general manager Bobby Clarke denied any discrimination against Russian players, explaining it was more business that personal for the same guy who broke the ankle of the Soviet star Valeri Kharlomov with a vicious slash during the 1972 Summit Series.

“It was a time when you didn’t know if you could ever get them out of the country,” said Clarke, who added he didn’t know Khatulev was a draft pick of the Flyers until they met during a 1979 exhibition game that ended in a 4-4 tie. “The Soviets were producing some great players, but the next level below the greats was below mediocrity. We just thought we’d be better off with Canadians.”

But, just as Iron Curtains fall, times change.

The Flyers have gone 0-6 in Stanley Cup Finals since Clarke led them to their second in a row in 1975. That was 40 years ago. They have the  seventh overall pick this year and could very well end up with Russian defenseman Ivan Proporov or Czech center Pavel Zacha, both of whom played junior hockey in Canada last season – and no one will give it a second thought.

By GORDON GLANTZ

GordonGlantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2Edit

GORDONVILLE — On the surface, Marcus Mariota and Mike Babcock have little in common.

Mariota is from Hawaii, and plays football. Babcock hails from Manitouwadge, Ontario. He coaches ice hockey, a sport that would seem as unlikely to thrive in Hawaii as surfing would in Canada.

But both were fed as red meat to the ravenous Philadelphia fan base as messiahs for the two teams that have gone the longest without championships – the Eagles (1960) and the Flyers (1975) – in the city of otherly angst.

And they were done so by a media that should be fined – or maybe forced to don those fluorescent jackets like first-time DUI offenders and cook and serve cheesesteaks at the Pat’s-Geno’s Mecca in South Philly – for being irresponsible to the disappearing craft of fair, impartial and accurate journalism.

And for leaving new Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford and just-hired Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol under additional public scrutiny before taking a snap or making a line change.

Yes, Mariota was a hand-in-glove fit for the Eagles, as no other team’s system – for obvious reasons – matches his skill set. Drafted second overall by the Tennessee Titans, Mariota has almost been set up to fail, meaning the Eagles could catch the coveted quarterback on the career rebound when his rookie deal is nearing an end in four years.

Even with that being a given, the odds of him coming to the Eagles in a draft day trade were probably less than Chase Utley winning the batting title.

And yet the pot was stirred right up until he was drafted by the Titans, and the flames were even kindled a bit in the days after (even though the NFL rarely sees trades involving just-drafted players not from the Royal House of Manning).

As far as Babcock goes, his name was fluttering around William Penn’s three-cornered hat as soon as Craig Berube’s stint as the Flyers’ 18^th coach ended after a season laden with enough close losses that any and all coaching decisions were placed under the magnifying glass.

But nobody bothered to read the small print.

If Babcock was going to move on to his next challenge – after building his long resume with the Red Wings in Hockeytown, U.S.A. (a much nicer way to describe the economic ghost town that Detroit became) – it would be with, at the very least, an officially unofficial “coach/general manager” name plate on his desk.

In Philadelphia, where general manager Ron Hextall has tentatively been given as much free reign as Grand Puba Ed “Al Davis” Snider is able, a power-sharing agreement in what was going to be Hextall’s first major decision in shaping the team in his own image after a year of toddler steps (a promising 2014 draft, a few deals) was not a hand-in-glove fit akin to Mariota playing for Chip Kelly.

To quote the late Johnny Cochran, “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

Earning the acquittal here is Hextall, not the media – including the alleged “insiders” (anyone with a Twitter account) and the dudes who like to hear themselves yammer on talk-radio – which is guilty as charged for creating stories where there were none and not logically thinking through their concocted scenarios.

The logic – or lack thereof – with Mariota was that Eagles coach/general manager Chip Kelly would “find a way” to land Mariota, his college quarterback, as if it were as easy as Fonzie tapping the juke box for the song he wanted to hear so he could dance with the girl of his choice.

With Babcock, it was tunnel vision – and a true lack of overall hockey knowledge – in seeing the Flyers as the one and only pathway for Babcock.

The proof of the lack of hockey awareness was the first online headline about the hiring of Hakstol, which called him a “no-name” coach.

Anyone who at least casually follows college hockey should know that he is as big a name in his sport as any heavy hitter in college basketball or football – not to mention that college hockey in places like North Dakota is as engrained in the culture (with rabid fans with painted faces and cheerleaders) as football and basketball are in the mainstream.

The “no-name” mistake would be semi-excusable if not for the fact that North Dakota was on the ice at the Wells Fargo Center for the Frozen Four just a year ago.

He may not have been Babcock, or a recycled head coach making his next stop on the NHL carousel, but he carries more name value in legitimate hockey circles than most NHL assistants and/or AHL or junior-level head coaches.

And, with Hextall, Hakstol fits likes the hand in a glove that Mariota would have – if Kelly were able to pull a rabbit out of his visor.

The Hakstol hiring rings true with the rebuilding plan that will continue to unfold as veterans are slowly shed from the Flyers’ roster and are replaced by a semi-stocked stable of prospects that will, hopefully, be helped with two more first-round picks next month.

For thinking outside of the box (Hakstol is the first college-to-first-NHL-job head coaching hire since “Badger” Bob Johnson went from Wisconsin to Calgary before moving on and winning the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh) and being ahead of the curve (“real” insiders see this hire as a budding trend), Hextall should be lauded as much as those who created a superficial story should be taken to task.

The column originally appeared at http://www.phillyphanatics.com

By GORDON GLANTZ

Gordonglantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2Edit

GORDONVILLE — Press “rewind.” Go ahead, I’ll wait.

When you hit “play,” you may find me on the floor, passed out from shock.

And not much shocks me anymore, particularly in the world of sports.

When I first saw something on my Facebook news feed about LeSean McCoy being traded to the Buffalo Bills, my inner cynic thought it was one of those prank stories that pop up.

When a second, third and 12^th story popped up, I knew something was up.

Being an old-school guy, trading a franchise back in his prime goes against the grain more than, say, a franchise back in his prime cutting back against the grain.

In my day – when we used large boulders instead of footballs to play rough-touch at playtime in our diapers preschool – running backs like McCoy were valued commodities that teams were built around.

As such, my initial impression – despite knowing the return of Bills’ linebacker Kiko Alonso, hurt or not, was far better than the zilch received for Desean Jackson – was that I was not impressed.

After going through the stages of grief – including denial (thinking maybe it’s just a ploy by the Eagles or Drew Rosenhaus, McCoy’s agent, in ongoing contract restructuring talks) – I came to accept the fact that McCoy was gone. And that the sun has set on “my day,” with a little help of Eagles’ Emperor Chip Kelly.

When I arose the next morning, it was time to deal with the reality.

Dealing with reality

Once my mind cleared, it occurred to that Kelly must feel pretty confident about other pieces falling into place to pull this trigger.

And after years of sort of being bold – but more calculated – maybe it’s time for this organization to throw the bomb and see what happens.

Alonso, if you haven’t seen him play, can be a keeper at the epicenter of the defense. He is a three-down linebacker, equally stellar at diagnosing the run and covering downfield while also getting to the quarterback on blitzes.

Alongside Mychal Kendricks – assuming Kendricks is not dangled as draft-day trade bait while the dice is rolled on a healthy return of DeMeco Ryans – the Eagles could have one of the best duos of 3-4 inside linebackers in the league.

But this is where “if” becomes a four-letter word.

It was a risk for Kelly to jettison McCoy in favor of the running-back-by-committee approach favored by a lot of teams, up to and including the standard-bearing New England Patriots, for the reward of a stud linebacker with health concerns (a serious knee injury while playing for Kelly at Oregon followed by a torn ACL while working out at Oregon than cost him all of last season) and some off-the-field questions (a few arrests while quacking like a Duck).

But the risk-reward is greatly mitigated by the fact that the Eagles have a king’s ransom to go shopping with when free agency officially begins this week.

The embarrassment of riches – projected at above $50 million – comes courtesy of a house-cleaning that goes beyond shedding McCoy’s contract before his trade-in value depreciates. Venerable veterans – offensive lineman Todd Herremans and converted linebacker Trent Cole – were stripped of their wings. Joining them was cornerback Cary Williams, who would be a Hall of Famer if he played as well as he talked. It seems unlikely free agent linebacker Brandon Graham will be back, as he will be in demand as a 4-3 defensive end with a mid-range price tag.

And my loyal dog, Rex, has more of a chance of being signed than corner Bradley Fletcher and safety Nate Allen.

Going on shopping spree

So now comes the time to shop. And it won’t be for special-teamers like Chris Maragos and Bryan Braman this time around (no offense to those guys).

This is Nordstrom’s now, not Wal-Mart.

But we all know that does not always mean it’s time to be fitted for Super Bowl rings. There was that ill-assembled Dream Team of 2011 that turned into a nightmare.

The difference, we hope, is that Kelly is as smart as he portends to be and knows what he wants and how to get it.

And when Plan A fails, and part of it surely will, he needs to be able to seamlessly shift to Plan B.

There are obvious areas the Eagles will address, and there are some high-end names they will target, knowing they can win most bidding battles.

The reality may be somewhat different. There are 31 other teams. While all might not be able to spend on multiple players, they could have enough to lure away a prime target for the Eagles.

So, as we depress the Play button and go to the oft-harsh reality of real time, begin chanting the mantra of the Eagle fan – hope for the best, be prepared for the worst – as the frenzy commences.

If we are to believe all shreds of speculation, the outside linebacker spot where Cole and Graham more or less platooned opposite Connor Barwin, who went to the Pro Bowl, will be filled by Jason Worilds, who has been dominant, when healthy and focused, in Pittsburgh.

Secondary concerns

In the secondary, where as many as three starters may be sought to join last year’s free agent prize, safety Malcolm Jenkins, the most money is likely to be allotted. While it would be nice to add a piece like safety Devin McCourty, whom the Patriots have reportedly decided to let walk while trying to keep corner Derrelle Revis, they may not want to overspend.

So keep in mind names like Will Hill (Ravens), Ryan Clark (Redskins), Rahim Moore (Broncos).

Clearly, as Kelly has learned the hard way, cornerback is the new running back in a pass-happy NFL, where receivers are built like NBA power forwards and run like Olympic sprinters while having oversized hands that seem to be laced with a natural form of adhesive.

And he needs two of them to go along with slot corner Brandon Boykin, who is aching for a shot outside but probably won’t get the chance until he tests free agency next offseason.

If they reel in the position’s top prize, Byron Maxwell, who is parlaying his spot in Seattle’s famed secondary into a once-in-a-career payday, they may have to face the reality that the other corner spot will be a training camp battle between Nolan Carroll and Jaylen Watkins and, maybe, a rookie.

Or they could get two guys – maybe Tramon Williams from Green Bay and Kareem Jackson – instead of Maxwell, but the upgrade over last year may be more of a 90-degree turn than a 180.

That would especially be the case if they do court McCourty and hand the world to Worilds in two scenarios that sources say seem somewhat plausible.

They could add another defensive piece, and they just might, but there are now complications of their own making.

Creating holes

On offense, the Eagles have now created needs where none existed before by trading McCoy and releasing Herremans. They also have to decide on how much money should be allotted to retain Jeremy Maclin, the No. 1 receiver coming off a career year after missing a year with a knee injury.

There are shovel-ready guards on the market – Fernando Velasco, Orlando Franklin, James Carpenter, Mike Iupati – and they don’t command as much of a breaking of the bank as tackles do, but someone younger and more the upswing than Herremans will want to be paid as such.

They could “coach up” someone in house – Andrew Gardner, Matt Tobin, etc. – or look to the draft, where guards tend to go off the board in the second and third rounds after the premier tackles are snatched, but that is where they could have gone after other defensive needs.

Moreover, the quarterback situation seems more in doubt since the McCoy trade, as not having a featured back might be an indication that they are really eyeballing a running quarterback – not a drop-back, pocket-passer like Nick Foles – to keep defense more off-balanced.

It is wildly speculated that the Eagles would and could move up from No. 20 to No. 6 in the first round, sending Foles to the Jets in the swap, and taking Marcus Mariota (if he slips past the first two picks).

If not, maybe they would trade Foles to St. Louis, sign free agent Jake Locker and draft the likes of UCLA’s Brett Hundley.

There are running backs of note in free agency – ironically, former Buffalo Bill C.J. Spiller immediately lobbied to swap places with McCoy, but injuries have kept him from duplicating the numbers posted in his 2012 breakout season – and there is some chatter about Mark Ingram, although New Orleans is going to work hard to retain him or drive up the price.

Here, Ingram’s one-cut, north-south style would seem ideal – especially for a guy who has yet to break 1,000 yards (he had more than 900 last year for the Saints) and would be eager to completely shed the label as a guy who never lived up to his advanced billing.

Or, the Eagles could stay at No. 20 and take one of the two premier running backs – Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin or Todd Gurley of Georgia – sending me on a nostalgia trip back to “my day” when quarterbacks called their own plays and running backs were the centerpieces of franchises.

Maybe we should keep our fingers on the rewind button, just in case.

This column originally appeared at http://www.phillyphanatics.com