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Mychal Kendricks on the sidelines against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, October 12, 2014. The Eagles won the game 27-0. (Martin Griff | Times of Trenton)

(Martin Griff)

Let's start out with this -- there is an argument to be made that Mychal Kendricks is the best linebacker on the Eagles.

In Kendricks' four years with the Eagles, the linebacker has racked up 12 sacks, six forced fumbles and three interceptions. He has been the team's top playmaker at linebacker, and has consistently been their best blitzer.

Kendricks certainly isn't a perfect player, but on a team that has struggled with linebacking play over the past few seasons, he has been their best player.

Now, however, with a new coaching staff and coming off of a down season, it is fair to wonder if the linebacker might soon find his way to the bench.

The Eagles likely didn't sign linebacker Stephen Tulloch to replace Kendricks, considering they play different positions, and the move came after the team lost middle linebacker Joe Walker for the season.

That doesn't mean that Tulloch couldn't end up inadvertently sending Kendricks to the bench.

Tulloch is at his best as a middle linebacker, and he comes to the Eagles with the advantage of knowing defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's system. That is huge, especially as the middle linebacker, as Tulloch will be able to come to Philadelphia and immediately be able to call the plays in the huddle. That is something that Schwartz values, and was an issue for the Eagles last season when Hicks went down.

Although Hicks is the team's starting middle linebacker right now, the Eagles and Schwartz very well could decide to slide Hicks over to the weak side, a position that better fits his skill set -- and build -- as opposed to a middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense.

With Hicks on the weak side, the Eagles could start Hicks, Tulloch and Nigel Bradham -- the last two of which were Schwartz's players from his days prior to coming to the Eagles.

Not having Kendricks on the field would seem to make the Eagles' defense weaker, but that didn't stop Schwartz from starting his training camp with Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks at cornerback, even though it has been clear since then that Nolan Carroll is their best cornerback.

With Kendricks on the sideline due to a calf injury, and having struggled in coverage during camp when he was healthy, it wouldn't be surprising to see Schwartz toy with the idea of trying to get Tulloch on the field -- and sending Kendricks to the bench.

THE NO-HUDDLE SHOW, Ep. 43: A dark cloud looms over Eagles right now

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Eliot Shorr-Parks may be reached at eshorrpa@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @EliotShorrParks. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.