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Howie Roseman has officially aced the off-season for the Eagles

By Cameron Herring

Aug 16, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman on the field prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason NFL football game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 16, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman on the field prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason NFL football game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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Coming into the offseason, many people doubted Howie Roseman and his ability to lead the Philadelphia Eagles, but some of those doubts may be erased as of now.

Next: Would Howie Roseman have gambled on a player like Carson Wentz prior to Chip Kelly?

Some of the doubt surrounding Howie Roseman stems from former head coach Chip Kelly replacing him as the head of personnel last year. Kelly didn’t think Roseman was capable of making decisions that would help lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a championship. Ironically, it was Kelly’s decisions that backfired and resulted in a dreadful season. Roseman seems to have gotten the last laugh. He’s now back in charge of personnel and cap duties after Kelly’s firing. Many fans were furious, as the hope was they’d give someone else the role.

Looking back, Roseman has actually done considerably well. Most of the core players on the team today are a result of Roseman led drafts. In 2012, Howie took Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry in the first two rounds, and both were given multi-year extensions this offseason and will be a big part of the defense this season.

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State) as the number twelve overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

In 2013, Roseman selected Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, and Bennie Logan in the first three rounds. Johnson, and Ertz received multi-year extensions, and will be cornerstones for years to come. Bennie Logan has been a run-stuffing beast in the middle, and will most likely be in midnight green for a very long time if he plays well this season. The 2014 draft gave us Jordan Matthews, who is the only competent wide receiver on the roster.

Roseman isn’t perfect. He’s missed on occasion and he’s missed big, but he’s gotten a few things right and can help push the team to an elite level. Paying the homegrown talent has been the plan, as history has taught us that relying on free agents isn’t always the way to go. Replacing Fletcher Cox, a top ten defensive player in the league and a tackle like Johnson would have been extremely hard.

Roseman has taken the right approach and put an emphasis on taking care of core players. That’s very appealing to draft prospects and to guys who will be looking for future contracts such as Logan and Matthews.

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This year in free agency, Howie did well in selecting players the Eagles needed, and it didn’t stop there. The team is now stocked with guys that will push them over the top. The one that will have the biggest impact is new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Schwartz’ 4-3 scheme is a perfect fit with personnel already in place. Most guys along the defensive line were drafted to play in the 4-3.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

On the offensive side, Roseman and head coach Doug Pederson have added guys that know what they’re doing and will help foster the success of Carson Wentz. Howie is making sure his young quarterback will have the best opportunity to be successful. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich is a former quarterback. Quarterbacks coach, John DeFilippo is known for his extensive knowledge of the position. Roseman’s career may depend on the success of Wentz.

As for hiring the right people around him, his new Vice President of Player Personnel is highly respected. Joe Douglas has learned from some of the best, including Baltimore Ravens GM, Ozzie Newsome. With some of Howie’s struggles in the draft, having guys that know what to look for, and know what it takes to build a championship team, is very important.

"Joe Douglas is one of the best talent evaluators I’ve ever been around – Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network"

Roseman has turned the majority of us into believers. He’s made all of the right moves. He has learned from past mistakes, and has taken some well calculated risks. This will be a process that could take 2-3 years, but Roseman is the right man for the job right now.

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