New lockers aren’t only changes for Eagles players under new regime

When Jason Kelce began his Eagles career, he had the third to last locker at the NovaCare complex.

For the last three seasons, whileChip Kelly was calling the shots, he moved to the front locker. Now that Doug Pederson (Andy Reid II) has returned, Kelce’s locker is exactly where it was before.

“This is my old locker, where I was under Andy Reid,” the center said. “I don’t think it’s that big at this point everybody has been through coaching changes.”

The changes have come in bunches, from a new home for the press on campus to a new practice schedule, to entirely new offensive and defensive schemes.

But for the veterans who predate the Kelly era in Philly, it’s a “return to normalcy.”

Brandon Graham, who has now lasted into his third regime, was not a casualty in Pederson’s locker-reshuffle (grouping the players by position). Somehow, he’s still in the same place, right between Fletcher Cox and Connor Barwin.

“It’s nice to keep the same one, be on the same block,” Graham, who will likely shift to the line of scrimmage now, said.”Ihave been over here my whole career, I haven’t moved at all, it’s been good. For me, I am just happy to be back in the 4-3 [defensive scheme]now. I am excited to get after the quarterback and not have to worry about coverage too much.”

Malcolm Jenkins, fresh off a contract extension, has the same home too. And though he never played under the Reid-campaign he says the new setup is a familiar one.

“My locker didn’t change so I’m good,” the safety said. “This is closer to what I’ve been used to in the league, closer to what it was like in New Orleans. [We now have] a traditional schedule… there are 1,000 ways to skin a cat.”

The Eagles are, apparently, watching a lot of Kansas City Chiefs film and early 2000s Eagles, since recent tape of the Birds would be pointless to study. Which means Kelcehas been watching a lot of his brother at tight end, and Zach Ertz watching plenty of his old pal (and former Eagle) Jeremy Maclin.

“I see Mac out there doing his thing and it’s fun to see,” Ertz said.”We still stay in touch, he had like 1,200 yards and a ton of targets last year, [Travis]Kelce is a great tight end very good after the catch, they move the ballaround, guys are in different spots, You will see that here this year. You won’t always see me in a 3-point stancenext to the tackle.I could be all the way out, in the slot, next to the tackle in the backfield, that’s a big difference from this year to last year.”

Along with all the other big differences. Don’t worry Chip Kelly fans (if there remain any), the smoothie bar is still around.