Amongst fans of the Philadelphia Eagles as well as around the league, general manager (GM) Howie Roseman is viewed in a positive light. And that’s not for no reason.
Yes, there’s some truth to the fact that his genius can be exaggerated at times. But his proactiveness has the Eagles in good hands, so much so that there can always be confidence he’s putting his team in the best position to win.
Jahan Dotson Trade
The Jahan Dotson trade is probably more flashy than it is actually beneficial to the Eagles, admittedly. But it is nonetheless inspiring that a team with Super Bowl aspirations is going out and making moves yet not at the expense of the future. Dotson gives Philadelphia a high-end threat by third-string receiver terms, which is more than worth it for what was basically a third-round pick (the Eagles gained a fifth but gave up two seventh-round selections).
All that really matters here is that Roseman felt his team needed another option behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, so he got it. It’s a simple concept, really, but not all GMs are willing to make the sacrifice to improve. Seeing as he stocked up picks at the 2024 NFL Draft by trading back so many times, it’s almost like he got Dotson for free. For that, the Eagles’ GM deserves some credit.
Ending the Haason Reddick Saga
Trading edge rusher Haason Reddick (a player Roseman signed in free agency, mind you) on the last year of his deal for a potential second-round pick was seen as a bad move by most people when it was made. Since then, Reddick has not signed a new deal and demanded a trade from his new team, the New York Jets.
Instead of extending Reddick, Roseman signed a younger (and far cheaper) Bryce Huff—he got paid a pretty quality draft pick to do this. Most GMs probably wait to address this kind of situation, but Roseman was proactive enough to realize that he could end the drama before it started. Doing this might have saved the “vibes” of the team, as trivial as that may sound.
Rebuilding the Offense in Two Years Deserves Kudos
It wouldn’t be fair to Roseman if we didn’t revisit the past a bit. In the matter of two calendar years, the Eagles went from an older, low-talent offense to one of the best the team has ever seen. And, somehow, Roseman has been able to not just retain that, but actually add to it with Saquon Barkley in 2024.
The Eagles’ 2019 offense was led by Carson Wentz and a wide receiving core that didn’t have as much as a good number-two option (Nelson Agholor and a past-his-prime Alshon Jeffery were somewhat close depending on who you ask). The offensive line was still elite, Miles Sanders was a great running back, and tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert were excellent, but everything fell apart in 2020—not even the reliable guys were reliable, while Wentz was barely a worthy NFL starter.
From the time the Eagles went up to the podium for the 2020 NFL Draft until they exited the first day of the 2022 class, they amassed Jalen Hurts, Landon Dickerson, Brown, and Smith. A superstar quarterback, one of the better guards in the game, a receiver right around the top five, and another hovering around the top 10 were added. This helped shoot the team back into not just playoff contention, but Super Bowl contention.
To put into perspective how impressive this is, let’s look at a team like the New York Giants. In 2019, their receiving leader was Darius Slayton and the quarterback throwing him the ball was Daniel Jones. In 2023, the exact same duo led the team—one of the worst offenses in football did not grow whatsoever.
Roseman probably deserves more praise for how quickly he was able to change things in Philadelphia. A long, grueling rebuild like the Giants have undergone could have been in their future, but they had one playoff miss in 2020 and went right back to contending.
Roseman has spoiled the Eagles. It’s not supposed to be that easy.
Like any GM, Roseman does deserve criticism from time to time. But when compared to the others around the sport, what he has done is nothing short of incredible.
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