Grading Howie Roseman’s 2016 personnel decisions

Trades: B+

Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso to Miami:

Roseman loves to make deals and the first of 2016 with the Miami Dolphins was a good one. The Eagles moved cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Dolphins, who were both brought in the previous season by Chip Kelly.

The Eagles made Maxwell one of the highest paid corners in the NFL despite having a below average first season in Philadelphia.

Alonso could not stay healthy after being traded to the Eagles for Philadelphia legend LeSean McCoy.

Not only did Roseman get the hefty Maxwell contract off the books, but he also was able to move up five spots in the first round as Miami gave the Eagles the 8th overall pick in exchange for the 13th and the two players.

Alonso and Maxwell actually had surprisingly solid seasons in Miami but this trade was worth it considering the Eagles used the 8th pick to help move up to two, and select Wentz.

Not to mention the Eagles would certainly have no salary cap space with Maxwell’s contract.

Grade: B

Eagles move up to second overall pick in trade with Cleveland:

When looking at some of the trades where a team “sells the farm” to draft a quarterback, this trade isn’t nearly as bad.

The Rams made a trade right before the Eagles moving up to the first overall pick in a trade with the Titans.

Lets compare the two trades.

The Eagles gave Cleveland 1st, 3rd and 4th-round picks in 2016, a 1st in 2017, and a 2nd in 2018.

The Rams gave Tennessee a 1st, 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd in 2016, in addition to a 1st and 3rd in 2017.

Philadelphia was able to recoup the 2017 first round pick in a trade with Minnesota making this deal look even better.

Essentially for Carson Wentz, the Eagles gave up a 3rd (Philadelphia had two 3rd round picks however) and 4th in 2016, and a 2nd in 2018.

Not bad at all.

Grade: A

Eagles trade for Dorial Green-Beckham:

This was a low risk, high reward trade that after year one, doesn’t seem to have any reward in it.

Howie Roseman traded backup tackle Dennis Kelly for second year wideout Dorial Green-Beckham.

The 6’6″ giant has all the potential to be a great receiver in the NFL, but that potential wasn’t close to being reached in 2016.

DGB finished with 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.

The former Missouri standout dropped four passes this season and finished with an average yards-per-catch of 10.9, a significant drop off from his rookie year in Tennessee where he finished with a 17.2 average.

Although DGB wasn’t Agholor and actually created separation at times, he and Wentz never were on the same page as the rookie QB clearly lost faith in his outside receivers.

For a 6’6″ receiver, DGB struggled far too much in tracking balls through the air.

A significant drop-off in his second year was not what Roseman had in mind. Nonetheless Dennis Kelly was the compensation for a receiver with more potential then anyone in the league.

Grade: B+

Eagles trade 2015 2nd round pick Eric Rowe after one season:

This might be my least favorite move by Roseman.

The Eagles gave up on 2015 second round pick Eric Rowe, trading the former Utah product to New England for a fourth round pick in 2018.

It seems the only reason Rowe was traded by Roseman, was simply because he was a Chip Kelly guy and not someone Jim Schwartz wanted to play in his defense.

Despite an impressive rookie season where Rowe showed potential as a productive press corner, finishing with five pass deflections and an interception, Roseman and the Eagles preferred to go with Mr. and Mrs. Burnt Toast in Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll.

Even Roseman’s reasoning as to why the Eagles traded Rowe didn’t make any sense, talking about the need to move him if they didn’t want to extend his contract in a few years.

"“When we sat down and discussed the offer, we really started thinking about as we sat at that time, the likelihood that we’d sign him to an extension,” Roseman said. “We want to build this team with some continuity. We felt at that time, we weren’t going to sign him to an extension. And to be able to get that value for him and possibly add someone who would be here for a longer period of time, made sense for where we were.”"

How could Roseman know they wouldn’t sign him after just five career starts?

He justified it by saying they had to make a decision based on the tape they had. That is why you don’t trade an asset like that in only his second season.

This was simply a move to ditch a “Chip Kelly guy” who has already started nine games for the Patriots and is contributing to what could be a potential super bowl champion.

Grade: F

Eagles trade Sam Bradford to Minnesota for ’17 1st round pick:

It was like Christmas morning waking up on a Saturday afternoon, learning Sleeves was headed to Minnesota.

After Teddy Bridgewater blew out his knee, the Vikings decided they needed to make a splash trading their first round pick in 2017 for the former Heisman trophy winner.

The Eagles were able to regain a first round pick in 2017 as they gave up their own first in Cleveland trade that allowed Philadelphia to select Carson Wentz second overall.

Not only did Roseman regain a first, the Eagles were able to watch their investment at QB, Carson Wentz start in 16 games. That is priceless experience and film that speeds up the development of Wentz significantly.

After this move, any had Howie Roseman as the leading candidate for executive of the year.

Grade: A+