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Chiefs' Reid, Texans' O'Brien laud Eagles coach Chip Kelly

Andy Reid, Bill O'Brien praise Chip Kelly as a personnel man and say the Eagles are in good hands with him at the helm.

PHOENIX - Andy Reid once had control over personnel as coach of the Eagles. Now he doesn't have it, officially, in Kansas City, though Reid played a role in the hiring of his old Green Bay friend, John Dorsey, as the Chiefs' general manager.

So, is having that power a good thing for a coach? And if it is, why didn't Reid want it anymore, after he was dismissed by the Eagles at the end of a 14-year run?

"I think every situation's different. I loved doing it, when I did it. Where I'm at in my career, I'm glad I'm out of it," Reid said yesterday at the AFC coaches' breakfast, during the NFL meetings, which conclude today. Reid's successor, Chip Kelly, will speak at this morning's NFC coaches' breakfast. "I'm lucky to have John Dorsey there, whom I have full trust in. He does a phenomenal job. It just depends on where you're at in the situation - where I was in my career, I felt that that was a good thing. I enjoyed doing it. I enjoy [just] coaching right now."

Later, Reid reiterated that, at 57, he thinks he is "late in my career" and doesn't need the personnel hassles.

"I'd already done that," he said.

"I think Chip will be good at it," Reid said. "I like the moves he's made. He's got [personnel VP Ed Marynowitz] there to help him. He's got Howie [Roseman] also there to work with him. He's got good people around him. I don't see why it doesn't work."

Reid noted that "every situation is different. Bill [Belichick's] been doing it and has four Super Bowls, right? Who's here to critique who does it and how it's done? I think it's just the choice of the person who's doing it."

Texans coach Bill O'Brien is a longtime Kelly friend. He was asked yesterday whether he thinks Kelly's radical reshuffling of the roster makes sense, or whether, as some NFL observers seem to think, Kelly is nuts.

"No. I've known Chip for a long time, and I would never doubt Chip," O'Brien said. "Chip's a very bright guy. He knows what type of team he wants. He's got really good football knowledge, and he's got a great vision of what he wants his team to look like. I would say the Philly fans should have complete confidence in Chip Kelly."

Reid and O'Brien both spoke highly of new Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford - though O'Brien's quarterbacking situation (Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet) is at least as shaky as the Birds' before the trade of Nick Foles for Bradford, and O'Brien apparently did not attempt to acquire the 2010 No. 1 overall pick from the Rams.

"Because of some bad luck, he's had some injuries. It doesn't mean that he's not a good quarterback. He's an accurate passer, a very bright guy," O'Brien said. "I kind of have a relationship with the Oklahoma staff, and they love him there, the way that he competed. I've watched him on tape. Josh McDaniels [the New England offensive coordinator] is a great friend of mine, coached him in St. Louis, he really spoke highly of him."

So why weren't the Texans interested?

"Every coach has a vision for what they want their team to look like . . . we felt like we had two guys out there that knew our system that we knew really well, that we thought could come in here and help our team," O'Brien said.

Reid said everybody liked Bradford coming out of college, which, of course, was 5 years ago.

"I think you could probably ask every coach, we loved him. He's so accurate, and just a good football player. Good person and a good football player . . . One of the most accurate I've seen [coming out of college]."

Reid drafted Nick Foles, who now gets a chance to start for the Rams.

"I think it'll be great for Nick Foles, and I think it'll be great for Bradford. It has a chance to be a win-win for both guys," Reid said.

Reid, by the way, said he was not at all confident about being able to sign wideout Jeremy Maclin away from the Eagles in free agency. He knew that Maclin wanted to stay and that the Eagles wanted to keep him, though the Chiefs eventually went well beyond what the Birds were willing to pay, at 5 years and $55 million.

"The way this thing is set up right now, with the 2 or 3 days that you're allowed to talk to the agent, but yet, you're not allowed to do a deal - I think there's a whole lot of anxiety on everybody's part," Reid said. "You can't talk to the player, you can't do a deal with the agent, but it's kind of dangled out there . . . It's like dangling a filet mignon in front of you . . . There's just great anticipation at that single moment, so you're never quite sure, till Jeremy's there and signing on the dotted line."

Maclin was one of several high-profile Reid-era Eagles Kelly has decided to move on from this offseason. Reid said he doesn't take it personally.

"Chip's not sitting there, 'Oh, boy, this guy, Andy Reid brought in, so I'm going to get rid of him.' That's not what Chip's doing, that's not how he looks at this thing," Reid said. "It's just the way this league works. There's gonna be change. Guys are gonna get a little older. Things are gonna happen. You're gonna like certain guys. That's just how it goes. My thing is, I'm grateful that Philadelphia has a good football coach and good ownership. They made some moves that I think, if you just give it time, will be very positive moves."

Birdseed

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt spoke glowingly of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota yesterday. At one point, Whisenhunt seemed to say the Titans would draft him and start him if he were available when they picked, second overall, but Whisenhunt later clarified he meant that if you drafted a QB second overall, he'd be your starter . . . Former Eagles linebacker Casey Matthews signed with the Vikings . . . Andy Reid on the late Chuck Bednarik: "I loved Chuck Bednarik. He kind of epitomizes what the Eagles and football are all about. That toughness, competitiveness. Obviously, one of the greats of the game. I had him talk to the team my first year there, just because of that, that respect factor. He came down to every training camp we had there . . . I enjoyed having him around. Tough guy. Very loyal, tough guy" . . . Chip Kelly attended the Angels' exhibition game against the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz., and chatted with AL MVP Mike Trout, a die-hard Eagles fan, in the clubhouse after the Millville, N.J., native left the game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian