For Eagles linebackers coach Ken Flajole, the question about what Mychal Kendricks must do to play more this season is not based on skill. It’s based on math.
The NFL is trending in such a way that teams are often in nickel packages, which calls for only two linebackers. Kendricks, who is a starter in the Eagles’ base package, is on the sideline in sub packages because the team uses Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham, who both played at least 95 percent of the defensive snaps last season. Kendricks played 27 percent of the snaps and was on the trade block this offseason.