Eagles looking at options after Travis Long injury

Chip Kelly saw this before, and now he's seen it again.

Almost exactly one year ago, linebacker Travis Long fell to the turf grabbing his left knee. He was out for the season then, and, after taking the same tumble again on Monday, he's out again.

The team announced Long will miss the 2015 regular season with a torn ACL, his second in the NFL and third counting a tear he also suffered in college.

"You just feel awful because we've watched him through the whole process," Kelly said, who also noted Long was on his way to gaining a roster spot this year.

"He's been here the whole time, you've watched him rehab. I think all the players felt the same way because they know ho wmuch he's got invested in this. When I talked to him on the field and then we got the final answer last night in terms of what it was, you really can't put it into words in terms of what it is."

Long, 24, will have surgery soon to repair his knee and resume his career, which he's not giving up on. Nor do Kelly or his coaches want him to.

"The kid's got a passion for this game and we're going to do everything we can to help him and support him," Kelly said.

Kelly noted that Brad Jones and Brandon Hepburn will take Long's former outside position in the coming days in camp and are among the favorites to take the job full-time. Another name in the mix is Marcus Smith, the second-year linebacker who is yet to make any discernable impact after being the Eagles' first-round selection in 2014.

Kiko Alonso, one of Kelly's offseason acquisitions, is not currently being considered for the outside position, still anchored by veteran starters Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham.