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Chip Kelly's desperation couldn't bring Marcus Mariota to Philadelphia

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The whiff of desperation could be smelled all the way in Chicago. Despite months of fibs, white lies and subterfuge, the worst kept secret in the NFL suddenly became its biggest story: Chip Kelly to draft his former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and he wanted him bad.

But the reunion has one big problem to overcome — the Tennessee Titans. Drafting at No. 2, the Titans also needed a franchise quarterback and with Jameis Winston off the board at No. 1, Mariota was the only option left. Sure, Tennessee had Zach Mettenberger, a quarterback they tried to pass off as their future this week (a negotiating ploy, no doubt), but no one was buying that. Mariota was their man and the only question was whether Chip Kelly was desperate enough to pry him away. Given Kelly’s bizarre personnel moves, there was the chance that desperation could be turned into a legitimate, enticing package for Tennessee.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

It wasn’t to be. Despite an offer that NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said was two first-round picks, a third-round pick, defensive end Fletcher Cox and other players to trade up to No. 2, Tennessee said no. When someone’s clearly that desperate, you never take the first offer. You don’t take the second. You don’t take the third. You wait until their desperation forces them into making a move the light of day never would have allowed. But apparently Kelly never blew them away and now, for the time being, Kelly is stuck with a quarterback it’s hard to imagine he ever thought he’d actually have to start in Week 1: Sam Bradford.

Then again, there’s still four months until the start of the 2015 season. Never underestimate Chip Kelly’s ability to pull off a stunner.

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