Eagles' A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith like freedom of Kellen Moore's new offense for wide receivers
Eagles' A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith like freedom of Kellen Moore's new offense for wide receivers
PHILADELPHIA -- "Motion" was the key word in the Philadelphia Eagles offense last season, for all the wrong reasons.
The NFL has trended toward pass catchers moving fluidly at the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. The San Francisco 49ers used motion prior to the snap 70.2% of the time, and the Kansas City Chiefs 60.5%. Both teams that reached the Super Bowl were in the top four in offensive plays that had a player in motion.
The Eagles were noticeably dead last in that category at 26.4%, the only team in the NFL under 30%. Somehow, the Eagles were the only one of the bottom-six teams in percentage of offensive plays that had a player in motion that made the playoffs.
As a result, the offense was predictable. It was stale.
That's why Nick Sirianni's offense isn't at the forefront of the Eagles' game plan anymore. In comes Kellen Moore, adding a fresh twist and a new offense to a roster that already has immense talent.
More motion is included, which the Eagles playmakers are fully embracing.
"I think it's going to be great," DeVonta Smith said at mandatory minicamp last week. "Get a new style of offense around. Let guys -- not have more freedom -- but be able to do things that we weren't allowed to do.
"Move guys around, things like that. Overall, it's always (good) to have a fresh start."
Since Nick Sirianni took over as head coach, the Eagles have set a receiver in motion on 30.1% of their plays -- the fewest of any team in the NFL. The league average in that span was 47.0%.
Last season, it was 48.4%. As motion plays were going up, the Eagles using motion was going down.
The big plays were affected as a result. Philadelphia had 16 plays of 20+ yards from Week 13 through 18, tied for 26th in the NFL. The seven plays of 25+ yards were tied for 30th in the NFL, ahead of only the Carolina Panthers.
A change was necessary.
"I'd say when it comes to certain routes, trusting each other, me and Jalen [Hurts], Smitty [DeVonta Smith], everyone on the field," A.J. Brown said. "Just trusting each other, being on the same page. Make sure you have the spot when it's time.
"I think that's a pretty good thing, a pretty fun thing for a wide receiver."
How much of a change will the Eagles see in Kellen Moore's offense? The Los Angeles Chargers ran motion 59% of the time last season (sixth in the NFL), as Moore adjusted to the ever-changing nature of the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys only used motion 44.6% of the time when Moore was offensive coordinator from 2019-2022.
The league has changed offensively, letting players run more freely. The Eagles are catching up.
"I love the dynamic being put in place in terms of everybody has a role and that's the goal, I think, for everybody to do their job," Jalen Hurts said. "That goes for everyone. So, just learning as much as I can from them, coach, and Kellen is kind of a mild-mannered person, where he's laid back, kind of bigger picture, has his hands on pretty much everything.
"Just the conversations of learning, they've been around a good minute now and got great experience in it, and calling the plays and coaching quarterbacks. I'm just there listening and taking in that knowledge."