There is no doubt the Eagles are in the beginning stages of an offseason that will define the direction of the team for the next few years. Played correctly, general manager Howie Roseman can adeptly guide the franchise through salary cap restrictions with a combination of high-priced superstars and a slew of emerging, young talent that keeps them atop the NFL pecking order. Played incorrectly, the Super Bowl window that seemed so wide open as recently as the middle of last season may slam shut faster than anyone anticipated.
For the second straight offseason, it appears the Eagles are going to lose more good players than they gain in free agency. One year after watching Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, Milton Williams, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Isaiah Rodgers leave Philadelphia, the early days of this year’s free agency period have seen the departure of Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, and Reed Blankenship (sure, Jahan Dotson, too, I guess). Roseman appears intent on trading A.J. Brown, either before the Draft or after June 1, and Dallas Goedert’s return is up in the air. There have been rumors Jalen Carter could be involved in trade talks, too.
Even with Vic Fangio, the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, at the helm, the departure of so much key talent on defense is a cause for concern. That’s a lot of good players walking out the door.
But if there’s one GM in any sport who the fans should let cook, it’s Howie Roseman.
It’s important Eagles fans remain patient as the whole process plays out. Roseman and Jeff Lurie are among the most aggressive front office duos in the NFL, and Roseman’s job security allows him to play a different, longer game than most GMs around the league are afforded. And while Roseman wants to keep that Super Bowl window open, but he’s also faced with certain realities and restrictions.
When you’re a Super Bowl champion, and when you draft really well, there comes a time those successful and talented players will deserve, and must receive, larger salaries. In a sport where salaries are capped, a GM like Roseman can’t keep all of the nice things for himself.
Is there any general manager in the NFL who has proven to be a better manipulator of the cap? If Roseman is letting players like Phillips, Dean, Sweat, Williams and the rest leave, don’t you think it’s because there was no other alternative?
Team builders must make choices. They must identify the players they believe will be most impactful in the long term, and pay them. They must identify the players they believe they can replace, and replace them with younger, cheaper talent. That requires drafting well and not panicking when a mid-level player like Blankenship hits free agency. It means allowing a really good linebacker like Dean head to Las Vegas because you have an uber-talented but unproven first round pick in Jihaad Campbell ready to step in.
Three years ago, Roseman did the same thing when he entered the 2023 season depending on Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis and Dean to step into starting roles. It was a gamble. At times, it didn’t look like it would work. None had ever started in the NFL, but Roseman wasn’t able to pay everyone on the team elite cash. Eventually, those players blossomed, helped win a Super Bowl, and are now either on the brink of getting paid or are receiving that cash right now.
A GM has to be able to rely on his ability to draft players as a way of impacting the roster. Would it be great to simply outbid everyone for the best free agents on the market at every position of need? Of course! But when you’re bumping up against the salary cap with little flexibility to create more space, choices need to be made.
Regarding what we’ve seen the Eagles do over the last week, I have a hard time finding fault with any of it.
Phillips, a player who tallied five sacks last season, earning $30 million a season? Yeah, I’m not doing that.
Re-signing Dean to a big-money deal when you just drafted his replacement in the first round the season before? It wouldn’t have made sense.
Signing Blankenship to a mid-range contract? You could argue Roseman probably should have done that, but we also don’t know what his plans are to fill that spot, or whether the money that would have been spent on Blankenship will be used at a position of greater importance.
For everyone freaking out about what the Eagles have done (or haven’t done) so far in free agency, wait for the full offseason picture to develop. There’s no doubt the Birds will enter the 2026 season with some question marks. Every team does. If Brown is dealt, finding a way to get a No. 1 and No. 3 receiver on the roster for Sean Mannion’s new offense will be difficult, but do we really believe Roseman won’t find a way to get at least one impact wideout on the team for Jalen Hurts to throw to?
I’m not usually one to give blind trust to a sports decision-maker, but I’ll make an exception for Howie Roseman. He has proven time and time again that he is one of the few people in professional sports that knows what he’s doing. This is, for my money, the best front office in the NFL. They’re not stupid. They don’t make rash decisions. Usually, their calls turn out to be the correct ones.
So, let’s let this whole offseason play out and trust Howie Roseman before we all board the stress train to training camp.
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