Head coach Chip Kelly explained on Tuesday the team's rationale behind the decision to release guard Evan Mathis at the end of last week.
Kelly said that Mathis' representation requested either a new contract or to be allowed out of his current deal on multiple occasions. The Eagles were not going to change the contract so they granted Mathis his release to allow him to seek a better deal elsewhere.
"They obviously wanted a new contract. We weren't going to give him a new contract. They asked for their release, so we released him," Kelly said.
Mathis' departure means that the Eagles will have to replace both of their starting guards from last season.