Philadelphia Eagles SHAKEDOWN

Dec 28, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly talks with quarterback

(3) in a timeout against the New York Giants during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles SHAKEDOWN:  The Aftermath

No matter what you think you’ve done
You’ll find it’s not enough  No matter what you think you know
You won’t get through  It’s a given, Philly law Someone’s faster on the draw
No matter where you hide  I’m comin’ after you
Now matter how the race is won  It always ends the same
Another room without a view  Awaits downtown
You can shake me for a while  Live it up in style
No matter what you do I’m comin’ after you

So now the message is clear, directly from the owner.

What is Howie Roseman’s New Role?

“Howie Roseman will be elevated to the role of Executive Vice President of Football Operations and will continue directing contract negotiations, salary cap management and NFL strategic matters, while overseeing the team’s medical staff, equipment staff and more.”

It’s been called a promotion.  The word used was “elevated”.  Don’t be fooled, Howie has been stripped of 90% of his power in the Philadelphia Eagles Organization.  He’s now what he’s been thought to be all along – the finance guy.    He’s the contract negotiator, the salary cap guy.  He’s the guy who handles the day to day non football issues like medical, equipment, logistics, etc.

So that makes Chip Kelly the General Manager?

“Head coach Chip Kelly will now oversee the player personnel department. He will also lead efforts to hire a new personnel executive – a process that will begin immediately.”

“Chip will not be doing this work by himself, obviously. He has been charged with recruiting and hiring a new personnel executive that will report directly to him and together we will move forward with this new, highly integrated approach.”

Well, yes and no.  Chip Kelly is responsible for the Eagles defense, but he’s clearly giving Billy Davis plenty of lee way to do things there that he feels are correct.   Look for a similar such relationship to develop between Chip and the new personnel executive.   In a practical sense, what I expect to develop is that Kelly will create a shopping list, and the PE (personnel executive) will shop for that skill set.  Chip will have final say over who is signed.

So that removes Howie Roseman from the process?

Hmm.   Anyone who is married or has studied government knows better.   He who controls the purse strings controls the team.    Howie, if so minded, could be a royal pain in the butt if he so chooses when it comes time to sign players.   And for this to work, the perception must be that Howie has that power.

It’s simple.  Any agent who is unhappy with the terms of the contract Howie Roseman offers could conceivably pick up the phone and call the new PE, or Chip Kelly himself, and try to extort more out of the team.  That perception that Howie Roseman speaks the team’s finance language must be maintained for team friendly contracts to continue.

Doesn’t this sound like the structure that Eagles had under Andy Reid, which didn’t work?

Whoa.  It did.  This is the power structure under 2000-2004 when the Eagles ran 59-21.  During that period, Joe Banner ran the purse, Tom Heckert ran the personnel, and Andy Reid ran the team.
This type of structure is similar to that of the New England Patriots, where Bill Belicheck runs the show.
Coaches who are most successful in the NFL simply have more control.   Presuming Chip Kelly does get a football guy, this structure could work well.

What were the alternatives?

I don’t know that there were any feasible alternatives.   If nothing was done, the Eagles scouting department would surely have seen more defections.   Ed Marynowitz, who is currently the team’s assistant director of player personnel, was rumored to be in his own head butting sessions with Howie Roseman.   That is likely just the tip of the iceberg.   Each defection would have been a setback to the team, and with free agency and the NFL draft just around the corner, there is a chance it would have crushed the Eagles chances in 2015.

If Lurie had backed Roseman, Chip Kelly would have been looking for a way to get out of Philadelphia.  And despite the hope that Philly is a place coaches would love to be, a power structure of no say in players would give the Eagles little hope of getting a capable coach.

So, the choice was clear.   The speed at which that choice happened is telling.    Jeff Lurie acted with the speed of an Emergency Room physician who is racing to save the life of a patient.   It’s clear that this team means a great deal to the owner.  Nearly as soon as a story hit the public that the front office was “toxic”, Lurie sprang into action.   It was that willingness to recheck the reality of the team that has somehow given me confidence that Lurie is in this to win the right way.

What should we expect?

And so, the team has reset the dial.   The Philadelphia Eagles will be on the clock at 20, but they’ll need every second between now and that moment to prepare for what will likely be one of the most scrutinized off-seasons of any Philadelphia Eagles team history.

With the Eagles sitting at a pretty healthy spot for the salary cap, and with clear needs on the team, this should be a slam dunk off-season.  But will the team sign quality cornerbacks, and retain their talent, before the draft?   Can the Eagles keep this draft to a “best player available” scenario, or do we find ourselves reaching to a player who is projected in later rounds, but who fills a void so desperately that the team rolls the dice once more.   Does the inclusion of Chip Kelly deeper into the process, who takes risks on the field, mean that he’ll shoot for the stars?  Does this place Mariotta back into the discussion?

Don’t bet on it.   Chip Kelly has already gone on record proclaiming the pressure placed on NFL draft prospects is tremendous.  To paraphrase, nobody can save a company before their first anniversary in his view.

So look for the team to focus on quality, good fundamentals.   Look for the free agency to be high calibre, team motivated players.

Look for things to change in Philly.  Ready or not, here we come!