Eagles’ Chip Kelly cuts top guard Evan Mathis in contract dispute

Eagles Coach Chip Kelly has taken another step in furthering the narrative that Philadelphia is one tough NFL city.

Kelly cut one of the top-rated left guards in the NFL, Evan Mathis, on Thursday following an unresolved contract dispute which had kept him out of the Eagles’ voluntary workouts.

That apparently didn’t work for Kelly.

Philadelphia had offered Mathis an additional $1-million-per-year boost to the five-year, $25-million contract he signed in 2012 -- that increase would have made him one of the top 10 highest-paid guards in the league based on average salary.

However, that wasn’t enough for the two-time Pro Bowl guard, who received permission to seek a trade last year when the contract issues began.

“We have never had an offer for Evan so there’s nothing to take,” Kelly said, according to NFL.com. “Evan’s been available to trade for two years now and we’ve never had an offer for him. And that’s through their agent and him. They’ve asked us if he can renegotiate a contract and see what he can get and we’ve obliged him with that, but we’ve never had an offer on him.”

Mathis, 33, will no doubt find a new team in free agency. Good offensive linemen aren’t easy to find.

Every decision Kelly has made since taking over player personnel in Philadelphia has been up for debate since he traded fan-favorite running back LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso -- a decision later forgiven following the acquisition of last year’s leading rusher DeMarco Murray.

Kelly then allowed the team’s leading receiver Jeremy Maclin to walk in free agency and traded quarterback Nick Foles away to the St. Louis Rams for the oft-injured Sam Bradford. He’s also gone out and signed lightning rod Tim Tebow.

It goes on and on. Everyone is replaceable.

If this season doesn’t go well for Philadelphia, the same might be true for its coach.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme