When Howie Roseman traded away Cam Jurgens, a key piece of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line, he insisted that wasn’t a sign that a fire sale had begun. He still had high hopes for his team this season. He saw the division as very winnable.
Of course, that was three long weeks and three losses ago.
Now, there’s no reason to pretend anymore, or for the Eagles general manager not to raise the white flag on a lost year after his team fell to 2-5 with a disheartening 38-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at home on Monday night. The roster is crumbling before their eyes. Their starting quarterback might not play again this season. And after a remarkable, five-year run of mostly sustained success, they have hit a rut where absolutely everything is going wrong.
“No one likes that, but smart GMs see that as an opportunity,” one NFL executive told me. “And Howie Roseman is a very smart GM.”
The opportunity is to do more than just tinker with the roster on the fly, which the always-active Roseman has done at the trade deadline during most of his Philadelphia tenure. It’s an opportunity to start purging an aging, crumbling, expensive roster and start assets to help plug current and future holes.
Howie Roseman has made plenty bold moves as Eagles GM in the past. Are there more on the horizon? (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
And if that sounds like “rebuilding” … well, maybe it is. And maybe that’s what the Eagles have to do to become a championship contender again.
“They are a smart, aggressive franchise that knows exactly what they are,” one rival general manager told me. “They’re not going to waste this opportunity just so they can finish 8-9. They won’t accept mediocrity. They want to compete for championships.
“And they’re not particularly close to doing that right now.”
So, after the Eagles bottomed out on Monday night, how do they begin to get back on top? It will likely start between now and the NFL trading deadline on Nov. 10, when many around the league expect Philly to be among the biggest sellers.
And that might be just the start of many months of major changes. They’ve got some brewing salary cap issues to sort through after years of pushing cap hits into the future. They need to completely rebuild their once-powerful offensive line. And they’ve even got a head coach and franchise quarterback with questions about their long-term futures in Philadelphia too.
“I have a feeling that the next time the Eagles are a powerhouse, they’re going to look a lot different,” another NFL executive told me. “But I’ll never underestimate Howie Roseman. It won’t take him long.”
How long depends on how fast he moves, and how quickly he can find answers to the Eagles’ biggest questions:
It’s easy to say, “Everything must go!” And maybe that’s the right approach. The Eagles certainly have plenty of rental players whose contracts will expire after the season, like tight end Dallas Goedert, cornerback Riq Woolen, defensive tackle Moro Ojomo and wide receiver Hollywood Brown. Edge rusher Nolan Smith is thought to be available too, along with veteran guard Landon Dickerson and possibly linebacker Zack Baun.
None of them are likely to bring back a high price, like a first- or second-round pick, but they all could help Roseman stockpile Day 3 picks over the next two drafts, which he could package together to turn into more valuable picks or players.
Landon Dickerson could be the next offensive lineman the Eagles trade.(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“They’re not helping the present, so if they’re not part of the future, there’s no reason to keep them around,” the NFL executive told me. “And they can probably get something for most of those guys.”
It’s not a guarantee that Roseman will sell them all off, though. He won’t give them away for nothing. And players like Ojomo and Woolen could benefit the Eagles with a compensatory draft pick if they keep them around and then let them leave as free agents next spring.
“Whatever they do, they have to be aggressive,” the GM told me. “They know you don’t get better by standing pat and just watching players walk away.”
Several NFL sources said the Eagles’ biggest trading chip would be the 29-year-old Barkley, assuming his back and hamstring aren’t long-term concerns. He’s had a fast, steep decline since his 2,005-yard season two years ago, though he’s still an elusive, impact player who can help a contending team.
“His numbers may have dipped, but that’s more the [offensive] line issues than it’s him,” an NFC scout informed me. “There aren’t many quicker, extra elusive backs than him.”
“I’m undecided I’d make a giant wager on his long-term prospects,” the final supervisor informed me. “However short-term, for a contending group? He may put you excessive.”
If the Eagles determine to utterly tear it down, will Saquon Barkley get traded? (Picture by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)
Nobody has gotten any indication, although, that the Eagles are prepared to commerce him. However contemplating Barkley is signed for 2 extra seasons and has simply $2.5 million left in assured cash on his deal, he could be extremely engaging for a contender and will conceivably convey rather a lot again in return. And given Barkley’s age and decline in numbers, it may make sense for them to amass property to begin over at that place now.
“I feel they might get a second-round decide and extra for him, and I don’t understand how you say no to that,” the GM informed me. “He’s actually good and a very good man, however he’s additionally about to show 30 [in February]. They should see the writing on the wall.”
How Do Eagles Repair Offensive Line?
Throughout their latest dominant run, the road was the Eagles’ greatest power. However heart Jason Kelce and proper deal with Lane Johnson retired. Cam Jurgens, who was supposed to exchange Kelce, was traded. And legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was pressured out, and recently the entire unit has been held collectively by duct tape. It’s gone from power to weak point in a rush.
And the longer term seems to be … iffy. Past 29-year-old Professional Bowl left deal with Jordan Mailata, there are nothing however questions in regards to the future, particularly in the event that they transfer on from Dickerson both on the buying and selling deadline or within the offseason. They’ve promising gamers in heart Drew Kendall and rookie proper deal with Markel Bell. And so they may try to re-sign proper guard Tyler Steen.
However that group nonetheless isn’t practically what it was once, and the pipeline of younger expertise and depth they all the time had appears to have dried up.
“They don’t have a historical past of drafting linemen, however I feel that’s going to vary,” the scout informed me. “They all the time obtained undervalued, gifted gamers and let [Stoutland] polish them up. However he’s gone they usually can’t do this anymore. So that they’re going to have to begin bringing in expertise, not simply hoping they will develop it.”
“The largest cause that their offense has struggled the final couple of years is their offensive line has fallen off,” the chief informed me. “They know they should rebuild from there if they need something to work in any respect.”
Hurts is out for the remainder of the season after blood clots in his calf unfold to his lungs earlier this month. From what the Eagles and Hurts’ agent have mentioned, it appears his long-term prospects are good and he’ll return to taking part in soccer.
And when he does, he’ll nearly definitely be the Eagles’ beginning quarterback for at the least the subsequent two seasons, as a result of it will be nearly not possible for the Eagles financially to chop or commerce him till after 2028.
However that doesn’t imply the Eagles gained’t begin on the lookout for his eventual alternative now — and never simply by drafting a developmental quarterback on Day 3 of the draft. Don’t neglect, Roseman drafted Hurts within the second spherical in 2020, simply 10 months after giving quarterback Carson Wentz a four-year, $128 million contract extension. After which, on the first signal that Wentz was struggling, the Eagles gave Hurts his job.
Has Jalen Hurts taken his last snap with the Eagles? Perhaps not, however previous historical past means that Philly might be making ready for what’s subsequent. (Picture by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Photographs/DeFodi through Getty Photographs)
That doesn’t imply it’ll occur the identical approach once more. However the Eagles will possible need to begin making ready in case it does.
“I don’t know what they consider the quarterbacks (within the draft) this yr, nevertheless it wouldn’t shock me in any respect in the event that they draft Hurts’ eventual alternative early,” the GM informed me. “It’s the right yr to do it. There are a variety of fascinating prospects, and one first- or second-round decide isn’t going to repair the entire Eagles’ issues anyway. Utilizing that on a quarterback for assist down the street may be fairly good.”
“One thing has appeared off with Hurts anyway,” the scout informed me. “He’s had so many offensive coordinators and simply hasn’t regarded comfy the final two years. Generally that may take its toll on a man. That doesn’t imply he’s performed. But when I had been the Eagles, I’d begin occupied with what I’m going to do if I can’t get him straightened out.”
Sirianni has had 4 straight seasons of double-digit wins, 5 straight journeys to the playoffs, and been to 2 Tremendous Bowls whereas successful one over the previous 4 years. However there are occasions when it positive looks as if Sirianni’s act is carrying skinny in Philadelphia. He’s had quite a lot of examples of questionable late-game administration that price his group victories. And he’s had a variety of bother hiring the appropriate assistants, particularly on the offensive facet of the ball.
And Lurie and Roseman aren’t all the time probably the most affected person bosses. Doug Pederson was three years faraway from a Tremendous Bowl championship and had been to the playoffs three straight years when he was fired after a 4-11-1 season in 2020. Chip Kelly was fired after going 7-9 in 2015 after two straight 10-win seasons. Even Andy Reid was ushered out the door after going 4-12 in 2012, regardless that it was simply his third dropping season in a 14-year tenure that included a Tremendous Bowl and 5 journeys to the NFC Championship Recreation.
Speak of Nick Sirianni being on the recent seat will possible proceed to develop if the Eagles’ struggles persist. (Picture by Emilee Chinn/Getty Photographs)
So the concept Sirianni is protected simply due to his stellar report doesn’t maintain as much as scrutiny, particularly since two of these years felt like wasted probabilities in Philadelphia. And don’t neglect, there was some thought he might need been in peril after the Eagles’ first-round exit final yr.
“They don’t tolerate failure there,” the NFL govt informed me. “It seems like yearly they don’t win a title, they’re at the least occupied with firing their coach. And should you’re about to begin over anyway, this may be the right time to vary all of it.”
“I by no means obtained the impression that they liked him there anyway,” the scout added. “You possibly can’t argue with successful, although. However as soon as that’s gone, all bets are off.”
