Three more years of Howie Roseman means three more years of “FIRE HOWIE” tweets, three more years of holding your breath on draft day, three more years of driving ourselves batty thinking about the insanity of JJAW instead of D.K. Metcalf and Jalen Reagor instead of Justin Jefferson.
It also most likely means three more years of success, and that’s the Howie Roseman dichotomy.
He drives you crazy, but the teams he builds win.
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Since 2010 – minus 2015, when Chip Kelly served as GM – the Eagles are 93-83-1, and that .528 winning percentage is 9th-best in the NFL and 4th-best in the NFC, behind the Packers, Saints and Cowboys.
Since Howie became GM, the Eagles have reached the playoffs six out of 11 seasons, and only seven teams have gotten to the playoffs more – the Patriots, Packers, Chiefs, Seahawks, Steelers, Saints and Ravens. Only the Patriots have won more Super Bowls.
Over the last five years, only the Chiefs have reached the postseason more often and for all their success they’ve won exactly as many Super Bowls as the Eagles.
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The Eagles won a Super Bowl with a backup quarterback, reached the playoffs with a rookie coach and got a 1st-round pick for a whiny quarterback who didn’t want to be here anymore.
There’s a lot to like about this franchise, and Roseman has a lot to do with it.
There’s a lot that makes you crazy about this franchise, and Roseman has a lot to do with that as well.
The important thing to remember is every GM has highs and lows, ups and downs. Every GM has embarrassing draft picks, free agent signings that were disasters, roster decisions they deeply regret.
It’s so easy to be narrowly focused on the Eagles that we lose sight of that.
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And for all the hand-wringing we’ve all done about Howie whiffing on Jefferson, have you noticed that for all of Jefferson’s catches and yards and touchdowns the Vikings haven’t been to the playoffs since drafting him?
That’s why you have to look at the big picture, and the reality is Roseman’s track record is better than most.
It’s just that the misses have been so spectacular. Danny Watkins, Marcus Smith, Andre Dillard and Reagor in the first round … you can’t defend that.
But for every high-profile 1st-round miss, there’s been a Dallas Goedert or Landon Dickerson in the 2nd round, a Nick Foles or Milton Williams in the 3rd round, Josh Sweat and Avonte Maddox in the same 4th round.
Guys like Jason Kelce, Big V, Kenny Gainwell, Jordan Mailata, Quez Watkins and Jalen Mills in the 5th round on.
And when you factor in the trades – where Roseman’s record is remarkable – and salary cap management and smart signings to retain the Eagles’ own players, the needle keeps moving up.
READ: Looking at Jason Kelce’s contract and cap hit in 2022
And you can’t ignore that Roseman has been a big part of coaching searches that delivered the Eagles Chip Kelly, Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni. One was Coach of the Year his first year (before losing his way when he tried to replace Howie), one won a Super Bowl his second year and won just made the playoffs in his first year with a first-time quarterback and a roster in transition.
It’s been more than 12 years since Jeff Lurie first named Roseman GM, and this contract runs through 2025. It’s a safe bet Roseman will be GM here as long as Lurie owns the team, maybe longer depending what Lurie’s son Julian wants to do once he takes over the franchise.
Roseman delivered the first Lombardy Trophy to the NovaCare Complex and has given Lurie a team that’s almost always competitive, almost always in the hunt.
Next month the Eagles will be the sixth team since 1960 with three top-20 draft picks and a chance to add a tremendous amount of young talent to a roster that already has a promising supply. One of the picks came courtesy of a trade down with the Dolphins that ultimately brought DeVonta Smith to the Eagles, the other courtesy of the Colts, who Howie fleeced in exchange for Carson Wentz.
No GM gets every move right. No GM hits on every 1st-round pick. No GM has a perfect track record.
Find me one who does and I'd be happy to replace Howie with him. That guy doesn't exist.
Keeping Roseman through 2025 (at least) pretty much guarantees two things: 1) He’s going to continue to infuriate you and frustrate you and anger you several times over the next few years, and 2) The Eagles are going to keep winning.
