The Facts: The Eagles are expected to lose Avant in free agency.

Diehards Line: Losing Avant might mean more off the field that on it. As Inquirer staffer Jeff McLane notes, the eight-year veteran’s presence was perhaps most felt in the receiver room, especially after long-time assistant coach David Culley left and followed Andy Reid to Kansas City. Many of the receivers looked at Culley as a father figure and respected him immensely. Avant helped fill that void and kept the group together after videotape of Riley Cooper using a racial slur surfaced in August. Avant often acted as a go-between intense new position coach Bob Bicknell and DeSean Jackson. On the field, Avant had 38 catches for 447 yards and two touchdowns last season and has been a complementary receiver in all eight of his seasons with the Eagles. McLane believes some of the need for that complement is lessened by the large role of tight ends Brent Celek and Zach Ertz in the offense and there’s little reason to think that would change in Chip Kelly’s second season as head coach.