Maxwell On 2015 Eagles: ‘We Weren’t Very Good’

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) — Byron Maxwell's one season in Philadelphia didn't exactly go according to plan and the disappointing, high-priced cornerback had a rather blunt assessment as to why.

"We weren't very good," Maxwell admitted to the Miami Dolphins' website on the first day of the team's offseason program. "I could've played better obviously. We left plays out on the field. I could've done some things better, things I'm going to work on. But that's 2015. It's time to go and move to 2016 and see where that takes me."

Where it has taken him is to South Florida after Howie Roseman shipped Maxwell, his weighty contract, and Kiko Alonso to the Dolphins on the first day of the new league year last month in exchange for the rights to swap first-round picks with Adam Gase's team.

The Eagles now have the No. 8 overall selection in this month's draft and the Dolphins stand at 13th.

Maxwell, of course, was one of Chip Kelly's high-profile mistakes that Roseman has tried to erase this offseason. The former junior member of "The Legion of Boom" in Seattle signed a six-year contract worth $63 million as a free agent in March of 2015 with the Eagles after excelling as a zone corner with the Seahawks.

Kelly, though, had a defensive coordinator in Bill Davis, who wanted to play consistent bump-and-run coverage and that mentality never wavered in an attempt to play to Maxwell's strength as the veteran finished with 51 tackles, two interceptions and 12 knockdowns in 14 games while playing in 75 percent of the team's defensive snaps (911).

Of the 111 corners who played enough to be rated by ProFootballFocus.com, Maxwell finished a disappointing 75th.

After moving Maxwell, Roseman addressed the need at cornerback by signing a pair of players new defensive chief Jim Schwartz is comfortable with in former Bills' Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks as well as bringing back Nolan Carroll on a one-year deal.

Maxwell, meanwhile, is happy with his new surroundings.

“I see talent all around,” Maxwell said of the Dolphins. “It’s obvious we have talent. D-line, linebackers, you’ve got guys that can rush the passer. You’ve got guys that can stop the run. You’ve got linebackers that can run side to side. You’ve got corners that can cover. Right now it’s just about putting all that together.”

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973ESPN.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen