Tom Gamble thankful for chance to return to Eagles

Tom Gamble recognizes the timing of his departure from San Francisco to Philadelphia was not ideal for the 49ers.

And the veteran personnel man is thankful that the Niners let him make what is a lateral move to return home to the Eagles. Gamble’s father was a former president of the Eagles and he worked for the club previously.

Gamble had interviewed with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman a year ago when Ryan Grigson left the team to join the Indianapolis Colts. This time, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke let him go.

The timing wasn't right (last year) for a lot of different reasons, some professional, some family," Gamble said, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. "Then this whole thing came up again. I have enough relationship with Howie, enough dialogue. Living out in Pac 12 country, I've got a lot of respect for Chip Kelly ... I've been in and out of his (Oregon) building, he's been in and out of (the 49ers') building, I think he's a hell of a football coach."

"We chatted again, and you know what, it was time. I was real excited about it. Again, I wasn't looking to go anywhere; I was in a great situation with some great people ... as good as it gets in this business. It's Philadelphia. That means something. It's a little bit different, this thing. There's not a lot of movement, not a lot of opportunity. I didn't know when it would come up again, and I was ecstatic to come back.”

Now, in the midst of draft preparation, Gamble hits the ground running in an effort to help the Eagles with a new head coach that doesn’t have a background in the NFL. It’s a good move for Gamble, but it doesn’t necessarily help him find the general manager role he has been seeking.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

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