Among ex-Eagles, expect Cary Williams to have a great year

PATRICK CHUNG made the blood of Eagles fans run cold.

Chung lacked closing speed; played without instinct; cost the Eagles innumerable yards in his 15 starts at safety in 2013. In a secondary devoid of playmakers on a defense full of uninspiring players, Chung was the poster child for its ineffectiveness and Exhibit A of Chip Kelly's obsession with employing his former Oregon Ducks.

Generally considered the worst starter on a flawed squad, Chung was cut after the 2013 season.

In fact, when Chung landed in New England in 2014, it seemed as if Bill Belichick simply was throwing a bone to his former second-round pick.

Then, Chung made the team. Then, he started 15 of 16 regular-season games. Then, he started all three playoff games . . . and won a Super Bowl ring.

In January, Chung signed a 3-year extension that guaranteed him $3.4 million. It will keep Chung in the NFL at least 2 years longer than it appeared he would be.

Meanwhile, the Eagles' secondary was so poor, it had to be gutted again.

Who will be this year's Patrick Chung? After Chip Kelly's roster demolition, the candidates are numerous, but the winner is obvious:

Cary Williams.

And, boy, will he let you know about it.

The most trackable choices are LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. If either manages significant seasons, the losses of both will be bemoaned.

Maclin might be missed more, since the Eagles have yet to convincingly replace Maclin, who has been reunited with Andy Reid in Kansas City. The Eagles added DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews to fill Shady's shoes.

New Colts Todd Herremans and Trent Cole might be more cerebral picks, but will be much more difficult to gauge.

Offensive linemen such as Herremans never get credit unless they make a Pro Bowl, and they usually make it on reputation, and Herremans had not built that sort of reputation. Cole could accumulate a bushel of sacks, but then, he also could play extremely well without getting a bunch of sacks.

Tackles and interceptions might make it easy to plumb the effectiveness of Nate Allen in Oakland, but their commitment to him - 4 years, $23 million; nearly $12 million guaranteed - seems extremely optimistic, given his lack of similar production in his past two seasons in the Eagles' scheme.

Williams, meanwhile, is in the best position of any of them to succeed.

That includes McCoy, who will be the Bills' No. 1 offensive option . . . and the defense's No. 1 target. He also endured just over 700 touches the past two seasons, each of them becoming more high-impact than the last as his explosiveness deteriorated. Shady will be lucky to survive.

Williams got worn down, too - at least, to hear him tell it. He complained of being overtrained early last season, that his legs were dead in September. He played like it, too.

He probably was just being honest. Williams often said unwise things, but he seldom said untruthful things.

Imagine how honest he'll be in Seattle.

There is no sheriff in Seattle. No decorum; little professionalism; less class.

Williams will have a field day, and that's just during the interview sessions.

Flanked by Richard Sherman and supported by Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, Williams should thrive. His length and his talents are an excellent complement to that Hall of Fame defensive backfield, and the Seahawks know it.

That's why he will take home $18 million the next three seasons. He will help the Seahawks play deep into the postseason again, and he might roll up a dozen or so interceptions on the way.

That might help Williams get another healthy deal in 2 or 3 years, too. Just look at what it did for Byron Maxwell, who got $25 million in guaranteed money to replace Williams in Philadelphia . . . after only 17 starts in four seasons.

There is a very real chance Williams will enjoy a reunion of sorts if the next Super Bowl is a rematch of the last one. No, he was never a great friend of Patrick Chung.

But he's been through some battles with that new Patriots corner, Bradley Fletcher.

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch