Eagles Notes: Maehl making gains at wide receiver

One player who appears to be creeping up the Eagles depth chart is wide receiver Jeff Maehl, who played 25 percent of the offensive snaps in Sunday's 36-21 win over the New York Giants. They came mostly at the expense of starter Riley Cooper, who played 77 percent of the offensive snaps.

Entering the game, Cooper had played 93 percent of the team's snaps. Maehl had played 7 percent. So Maehl's increase Sunday was noteworthy.

"That's just a credit to Jeff," coach Chip Kelly said. "When we got him, it was just a matter of Jeff getting a really good feel for what we're doing offensively. He's been showing us things in practice every day of the week, and we need to get him on the field a little bit more."

Maehl did not record a catch and had zero targets. Cooper did not record a catch and had one target.

Maehl was acquired during training camp and wasn't involved in the offense until late in the preseason. Kelly was familiar with Maehl because Maehl starred for Kelly at Oregon, and the Eagles kept him on the 53-man roster.

Kelly called Maehl the Eagles' fourth wide receiver, and Maehl can play all the receiving spots. Kelly said the receiver also does well as a blocker, which is a strength of Cooper's game.

"I'm excited to see where Jeff continues in his development, where it may be," Kelly said. "I don't know exactly where it gets him, but if he keeps practicing well, we need to find ways to get him on the field even more, whether it's the slot, outside, inside."

Kelly said the Eagles must continue to monitor safety Patrick Chung, who missed two consecutive games because of a shoulder injury. Kelly said Chung is improving and has his strength back in his shoulder.

"It's a matter of how he functions and carries himself around the field," Kelly said.

DeSean Jackson remains an option in the punt-return game even though Damaris Johnson was on the field for all seven of the Giants' punts Sunday, including those on the Giants' side of the field.

"It just really depends on where it is and depends on where DeSean is and how many reps he's getting, how does he feel," Kelly said. "We'll use him again this season."

Kelly said the Eagles also will consider the punter. If it's a punter who "booms" the ball, Kelly said, Jackson will get a chance.

Kelly, who was hired in January, is the longest-tenured coach in Philadelphia now that the Flyers have fired Peter Laviolette. Kelly knew Laviolette and called him a "good guy," and he also pointed to Miami (Ohio) football coach Don Treadwell's dismissal on Sunday.

"It's kind of the crazy reality of what we deal with, but it's unfortunate," Kelly said. "I think as a coach you understand that it's a possibility going in, but it's still tough. . . . It's the reality of our profession, and it's unfortunate. You feel for the guys and you feel for their families."