As the Eagles sit at 0-2 in the early goings of the 2020 season, finger-pointing has already started taking place. “Carson Wentz is making terrible throws and boneheaded decisions!” “Doug Pederson’s play-calling isn’t working!” Both statements are valid.
However, there is one man who should take much of the blame for how this season has transpired: Howie Roseman. The “salary cap wizard” once seemed untouchable after the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, but is now on the hot seat.
Philadelphia’s slow start to the season is bringing light to Roseman’s inabilities as a GM, which involve talent acquisition, fortifying positions, and cap management. It might be in the best interest of the team’s future if Roseman is shown the door, regardless of how the season plays out.
Lack Of Young Talent Coming In
The Eagles’ drafting skills in the past half-decade have become atrocious. Many feared that when vice president Joe Douglas left, the Eagles would suffer in scouting, but it seems that Douglas didn’t make much of a difference.
There are plenty of busts to name. JJ-Arcega Whiteside. Sydney Jones. Rasul Douglas. Andre Dillard is on his way to being one. It feels like mistake after mistake. Philadelphia has made good selections in the last four years, to be fair. Dallas Goedert and Miles Sanders have both excelled in their young careers. But these kinds of picks are few and far in between.
The Jalen Hurts pick was awful at the time, and the more unfortunate part is that it doesn’t look as bad now after Carson Wentz’s struggles. But to spend a second-round pick on a position where you signed a starter to a huge contract is foolish.
Since 2014, the Eagles have drafted just one Pro-Bowler. That’s simply unacceptable, and a perfect way to stop a teaming from reaching its full potential.
Questionable Signings and Ignorance of Positions
A year after adding Malik Jackson for $30 million, Roseman signed another DT in Javon Hargrave to a $39 million deal. The thinking behind this is that the Eagles do best when building through the trenches, but the lack of production in this area after all the big additions has become a huge concern.
Roseman added former All-Pro Darius Slay to the secondary, but let the reliable Malcolm Jenkins walk. Even riskier was replacing him with Jalen Mills, who has continually underperformed throughout his time with the Eagles.
Meanwhile, Roseman ignored the linebacker position, walking into the season with the inconsistent Nate Gerry as the top starter. Roseman had signed Jatavis Brown, but let’s be honest, he wasn’t going to be a difference-maker.
It’s fine to rely on and invest in one part of a team over another but to seemingly refuse to bring in even serviceable players is irresponsible.
Salary Cap Management
Howie Roseman’s biggest strength in his GM tenure has been his salary cap management. It feels like that run is coming to an end. Hargrave and Jackson’s signings meant less money for areas of greater concern, like wide receiver.
It isn’t just Hargrave and Jackson, however. There’s set to be a combined $68 million owed between six defensive ends and tackles in 2021. That’s an insane amount of money for players who aren’t simply producing for the team.
Meanwhile, the Carson Wentz contract is now looking scarier and scarier and leaves more questions than answers. As stated earlier, Roseman used a second-round pick to add quarterback depth. But if Roseman was wary of Wentz’s durability, why sign him to an extension worth over $100 million?
What Should The Eagles Do With Roseman?
It’s anyone’s guess as to what the Eagles do. After all, Roseman won a Super Bowl, ending the team’s 68-year championship drought. That earns anyone job security. But Jeffrey Lurie has been quick to pull the trigger on decisions before.
Whether the Eagles embark on a rebuild or retooling, Roseman’s talent evaluation skills suggest he may not be the man for the job. Drafting needs to be the team’s priority going forward, and there are likely better GM candidates for that.
Roseman will always be respected for being able to deliver what so many others failed to do, but for a team to have continued success, it needs to know when the writing is on the wall. If Lurie wants to preserve his team’s window, a new general manager is a must.