Everybody’s talking about what the Eagles are going to do about hiring a new head coach, but I think making a change at the General Manager’s position is just as important, and probably more so than anything else. You’ve got to have good players in order to have a good football team and the only way that happens is if you have a GM and scouts with an eye for talent.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has GM Howie Roseman in position to lead the way in securing a replacement for Andy Reid and overseeing this year’s draft. Here you have Roseman, who has a questionable resume when it comes to evaluating talent, set to be a big part of the selection of both the new coach and the new players.
It’s a huge job for Roseman. How could somebody with Roseman’s mediocre track record be put in charge? How could this be considered a good decision? Is there a chance that the top head coaches will turn down the offer to coach here, if they have do so with Roseman as their GM? I don’t see how his presence helps the organization.
Lurie seems to have confidence in him despite the fact that Roseman and his scouts played a big part in putting together this roster. Yes Reid had final say, but Roseman was in charge of the scouts who went and evaluated the talent. There’s no way you can look at his record in this department and consider it a plus.
He came out of the draft each year excited about their draft.
His track record of drafting hasn’t been very good. Look at the 2011 draft with number one pick, offensive guard Danny Watkins, who is looking more and more like a bust. Watkins is so bad that the Eagles signed Jake Scott, a week ago Tuesday and played him five days later rather than Watkins.
Roseman’s second-round pick in 2011, safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, was released and has not been signed by any other team in the league. What does that say for Roseman’s drafting? He drafted a player in the second round who nobody else in the league is interested in?
Curtis Marsh, the third round pick in that draft, hasn’t been able to get off the bench. I do think he’s done better with the draft of 2012, but the 2010 and 2011 drafts were pathetic.
How could you put the future of this organization in the hands of Roseman? Roseman is one of the top reasons the Eagles hopes went south this year. They had no depth on the offensive line because of the poor drafting of Roseman. The Birds don’t have any quality play at the safety position because of poor drafting by Roseman.
There are two candidates I would like to see given a shot at the Eagles General Manager’s position. One is the Director of College Scouting for the New York Giants, Marc Ross. He was a scout for the Eagles a number of years ago, but he’s got a tremendous track record for having a great eye for talent. He’s been the number reason the Giants have been able to consistently draft quality players. Ross has a long football background, which Roseman doesn’t have.
He wanted Jason Pierre-Paul and Roseman wanted Brandon Graham. Need I say anything else?
I would also like to see the Eagles interview San Francisco 49ers Director of Player Personnel Tom Gamble, who is the son of former Eagles General Manager Harry Gamble. The younger Gamble has been working in that organization for the past seven years and I think they have the most talented team in the NFL. Gamble has been in the NFL for the past 27 years. Like Ross, he has a football background, but Roseman doesn’t.
Both the Giants and the Niners are talented on both sides of the ball and strong on both the offensive and defensive lines. They are big, strong and intensely physical. It wasn’t an accident that they were both in last year’s NFC Championship game.
All you need to do is compare the talent on the Giants and 49ers rosters to the talent on the Eagles roster. The Birds have draft smaller players, but the Giants and 49ers have found an abundance of big, physical players.
Nate Allen over Earl Thomas…..Graham over JPP. They have one legit starter form the last two drafts playing.Kendricks,and hes hit a wall and looks confused.Kelce was a good pick but it was based on the Mudd system.
Love the Niners roster and agree 100%.Roseman needs to go too. Why should he get a pass?
What does it say about your talent evaluation skills when you think a safety from Texas isnt the better pcik from a S. Florida guy? They both had great careers.One guy in a bigtime program and the other in a bottom feeder.
Rock, Agree 100%. I was so pumped watching that drafted when it was the Birds turn to pick with Thomas still on the board and then they picked Graham.
Howie is a big part of the problem. He needs to go too. They need a talent evaluator in this position and if Lurie can’t see that, then he honestly needs to go too.
The Earl Thomas Pick..sheesh
I don’t usually criticize draft picks…but that one still has the WTF of the year award
When you look at how every team in the last 5 years has won a SB its with mean nasty big and tough players. They got it right and brought in Ryans who is having a great year dispitre the bums around him.
Giants…we know there roster.
Stillers….mean and nasty every year.
Saints….had a mean d that year and when they wanted to run it they did with Thomas.
Pack..defense was mean and nasty…offense was precise.Receivers able to play physicall…too echo Paulmandomis…they beat the jam and can go get it…our guys dont.
I honestly blame Andy for those drafts. You have to look before Howie and after Howie to see if there is a pattern. Small DL taken every draft high engine guys that wear down and are invisible. Not damn linebacker in 12 years..Pick one real stud lineman and he’s a nut case…Freddie Mitchell over Reggie Wayne….Need I go on? I think Andy has been drafting his kind of players for years…I think Howie will work with whomever comes in here when the coaching philosophy changes.
Not to nit pick but Nate Allen was not choosen over Earl Thomas. Earl Thomas was Seattle’s first round pick while Allen was drafted in the second round. However, I thought for sure when they traded up in that draft that Earl Thomas was the guy. I like many was left scratching my head when they took Brandon Graham. I was not aware that we could change GMs right now given that Roseman was extended. I think that is by far the worst move I’ve seen this team make. I loved our draft this past year and it will take time to see which of them pan out but man did Roseman really screw the pooch in 2010 and 2011.
2013 Eagles starting line up:
QB-Nick Foles
FB-Havili
RB-Shady
WR-D Jack
WR-Maclin
TE-Celek
LT-Peters
LG-Mathis
C-Kelce
RG-Herremans
RT-1st rd pick
DE-B Graham
DT-Cox
DT-draft pk
DE-Cole
SLB-draft pk
MLB-Demeco
WLB-Kendricks
LCB-DRC
RCB-Boykin
FS-Jarius Byrd
SS-N Allen
PK-Henery
P-McBriar
KR/PR-Free agent
I think the new coach will want a bigger NT for the line. Kendricks is more suited to the weakside as G has maintained all along. They have to get a FA safety and Buffalo doesn’t like to pay people. They will keep Allen over Coleman as a starter. At CB they have no choice but to keep DRC and Boykin. On offense, they will remain relatively intact with an OT as their first pick which is long over due. It will be a kid that can be broken in on the right while they assess what Peters has left and then eventually replace Peters at LT. I think the new coach will review the last few years and see that they need to get a sure thing in the return game because the return game has been ridiculously bad here. I believe Ted Ginn will be available and he does both.
Graham starting would be a surprise under a new regime. It would be a surprise if he made the roster, but who really cares as this next year will be the first of 3 for rebuilding. Either next year or the year after, one of their starting WRs will have to go, maybe both. They need a big wideout, a Vincent Jackson type. Their OL will need to be completely rebuilt over the next 3yrs, too. The good few are getting old. Lotta work to do on this roster.
To add, we need to really hit well on 2 min of our next 3 drafts to be competitive. Roseman is not the guy I trust unless they bring in a veteran coach who picks his players. I’d rather just nuke the current regime and start fresh. Bring in savvy GM with a track record and a younger, high energy coach with some NFL background. Then hope.
Like that roster….except for DRC that I want no part of after he gets a new contract. Guy is already lazy and will only become moreso…give him a big deal and the “he’s a bum” shoults will be drowning out the stadium by week 6 next year.
As for the drafts. I am not giving the Eagles a free pass, but you should all google:
_________________________ (team name) draft history and click on the Pro-football reference link. You will see each team’s draft history in chart form along with their stats in the NFL…you’ll see the Giants only have two guys contributing from the last 2 drafts (prince Akamura anyone? His own teammates hate the guy) GB only has one starter from the last 2 years etc.
Its enlightening.
And look waht was posted on Bleeding Green about the 2009 draft:
Top 12 picks….almost all busts. I think we overvalue an NFL GMs ability to pick players….the skillsets are so similar and the talent discrepency is often marginal…..desire, hustle, will more important….all lacking on the Birds because they lact hope.
2009:
1. Matt Stafford – Good QB, not elite, but the best of that class.
2. Jason Smith – Bust
3. Tyson Jackson – Bust
4. Aaron Curry – Bust
5. Mark Sanchez – Can we all agree bust at this point?
6. Andre Smith – Certainly looked like a bust, but seems to have come around in the last year.
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey – Bust.
8. Eugene Monroe – Not a bust, but not top 10 value either.
9. BJ Raji
10. Michael Crabtree – Bust. He’s become a solid NFL WR since last year, but by no means has he ever looked like he justified a top 10 pick.
11. Aaron Maybin – Bust
12. Knowshon Moreno – Bust
Andrew Walter Reid
Had his big mustache in those draft picks.
Only Andy could lose a center and then go an entire draft without getting one.
Only Andy could lose a tackle and bring in a guy who can’t play your system.
Only Andy would draft an 80 year old first round draft pick.
Juan as defesive coordinator etc….
Andrew Walter Reid was the biggest phoney in Philadelphia sports history.
It appears when Jimmy Johnson died, so did the Eagles. Heart left the team and was replaced by a t-shirt.
As I have said before. I blame Andrew Walter Reid for everything including global warming. Watch how much the weather improves when his fat rear is out of town.
Get somebody from the Steelers scouting department. Those are the type of players the Eagles need. Big and Strong and able to play in the winter.
No more softys. And trade Maclin. Watching him refuse to go after a pass over the middle is worst than watching Jackson looking for a soft place to fall. Those sissy players are pathetic. Maybe Celek can give them his heart t-shirt. Because those 2 softys should be running track, not playing football for a living.
I love that shirt Roseman is wearing. Where do they sell that?
Stanford’s David Shaw should be the Eagles next Head Coach.
Good points Vinnie. The two bigest questions in my opinion going into the offseason is whether or not Foles is the answer and whether or not Jason Peters will be able to come back healthy. He had a pretty serious injury and I believe he reinjured it. If Foles isn’t the answer, they’ll be left with some tough decisions during the draft. As of now, I think they have the 6th overall pick. I actually like Gino Smith.
Smith is not better then Foles.Hes not a true pcoket passer,if he was theyd have a better record.
Marc Ross should get a call as GM…He was the last of Modrak’s guys and was pushed out by Andy & Heckert, only to go to the Giants…
He let the Giants know about Spags who was being groomed to replace JJ…and they scooped him…Marc Ross drafted those gems at receiver and got JPP …two Chips!!!!!!
Eagles need to swallow their pride and call Marc Ross to head the team as GM..and let him pick the coach and bring in his guys.
Clean house and fire all Andy’s yes men in every area of the organization.
“Marc Ross drafted those gems at receiver and got JPP …two Chips!!!!!!”
What Gems…and why might they be gems??
Cruz ? undrafted…every team, including the Giants passed him
Nicks ? 1st rounder – very good WR
Hixon? Drafted by Denver
Steve Smith? – 2nd rounder who has played for 3 teams
Manningham? – 3rd rounder now on 2nd team…
SO he hit on 1 first rounder. The bigger question might be why guys like Smith, Manningham, Cruz succeed once on the Giants. And then disappear immediately afterward.
Couldn’t have anything to do with actually playing with a real quarterback could it.
Had the Eagles signed Cruz as an undrafted free agent….do you feel that he’s be the star he is now? What if Arizona had picked him up? Or perhaps Miami?
There’s only one reason we hear about Cruz, and it isn’t Marc Ross. Are you really going to give him “credit” for that? Cruz was an afterthought….not valuable enough to pick up in any other round….
Now I’m not saying he isn’t a good GM…I just don’t think there’s that much difference between them all (except Matt Millen). I think we give them way too much credid when players turn out.
That being said, I would like the Eagles to change philosophies a bt and draft bigger guys….if you’re going to get players wrong, might as well be bigger bad players than smaller bad players…..
vinnie…..you’re just concentrating on the receiver part of the post?
What about what he did while he was here?
Eli couldn’t beat us until Marc Ross got there and began to draft peices on both sides of the ball along with giving the Giants knowledge on how to surpass our organization.
Yes…and look at he Giants drafts since he have been there compared to the Eagles.
Ok….let us look at thoseamazing NYG drafts
2009
1-Nicks – very good wr
2 – CLint Sintim – nobody
3 – William Beatty – not special
4 – Ramses Barden – useless
5 – Travis Beckum – useless
6 – Andre Brown – suddenly appeared on scene this year – backup with 320 career yrds – gone next year
7 – Rhett Bomar – who?
8- DeAndre Wright – useless
9 – Stoney Woodson – useless
One very good starter…one replaceable starter…and one hardly used backup rb
2010
1 – JPP – Homerun
2 – Linvale Joseph – He of 2 sacks a year
3 – Chad Jones- useless
4- Phillip Dillard – useless
5- Mitch Petrus – whatever
6 – Adrian Tracy – useless
7 – Matt Dodge – starting punter
I very good player, a starting punter, and nada
2011
1 – Prince – useless
2 – Marvin Austin – useless
3 – Jerrell Jernigan – useless
4- James Brewer – useless
5 – Greg Jones – starting LB I believe
6 – Tyler Sash – useless
7- Jacquain WIlliams – useless
8-Da’Rel Scott – useless
Looks like a big pile of “whiff” on the NYG 2011 draft…one ok starting LB
2012
1 – David ‘Fumble” WIlson – can’t beat out Brown
2- Rueben Randle – 11 catches this year
3-Jayron Hosley – has 1 int
4- Adrien Robinson
5- Brandon Mosley
6-Matt McCants
7- Markus Kuhn
Who knows…maybe the first 2 will turn out
So what do you see in 4 drafts? 1 Superstar (with only 6 sacks this year btw), one very good WR, one starting LB, one punter….and…..well that’s about it
Remember that over that same time period the Eagles have drafted Maclin, McCoy, Henery, Cox, Foles…..one good wr (imagine him on Giants with a QB), a good kicker, a good DT, an awesome RB, and a QB with potential…..
if Foles turns out, I’ll take their haul over the Giants any day….and if he doesn’t, its about even.
4 –
Guys, I’ve got one more bad pick for you that Reid had to have his hand in because it’s his stupid philosophy about defensive tackles.
He chose not to trade up two spots past Baltimore to draft Haloti Nagta, and bragged that Brodrick Bunkley was his man all along.
There is your example for failure in evaluating talent. Also drafting Jaiquwan Jarrett when you could have had Justin Houston, who’s doing well for Kansas City despite the teams lack of. That one Howie had a hand in. My first choice for GM again is GMCliff. I could do no worse, and I do have an eye for real talent. And I dont backpedel from that statement. Anytime Howie is ready to matchup, he can find me on GCobb.com.
Good hard point Vinnie!!! I don’t want Mark Ross either.
John Dorsey is one of the best Candidate.
Nick Casario is another
and or Pittsburghs head of Pro, and College Scouting
Why do we settle for mediocrity when it comes to leadership?!! That type of thinking motivates people to want Chip Kelly as coach. You want to replace arguably the best coach the Eagles have ever had with a college coach with no Pro coaching experience;…..Like that is a real upgrade?!!!
How does he stand up to the qualifications of a :
Donte Scarnecchia ?
Vic Fangio ?
Tom Clements?
Aaron Kromer?
Jon Gruden?
I watched the San Francisco defense take Chicago apart.Even Jon Gruden was admitting he would have no idea how to counter what they were doing, and also that he had NEVER even seen most of what he (Vic Fangio), was doing ON DEFENSE. That man is innovative, unlike Andy, and Marty who had no answer for the Bears.
He may be a defensive minded coach, but if he is smart, like I think he is, he would hire an innovative offensive minded coach to be his Offensive Coordinator like Aaron Kromer, or my choice Joe Lombardi from New Orleans.
Most of the players we have on this football team would be lucky to make another teams practice squad.. The talent has been lacking for years! We haven’t had a decent kick returner since J.R. Reed for cryin out loud
I like the Fangio idea…
but my number one choice would be Ex-Ottawa Rough Rider quarterback Tom Clements!! (If only because I met him when I was 10 or so after winning the last Grey Cup the team has one and he used to throw to my favourite player of all time Tony Gabriel!!)
I don’t know who should be the GM…what I am trying to say is that when you look at records, almost every GM in the league is almost equal….they get way too much credit when a plaer turns out…..
I think a clean sweep needs to be made. Andy and Howie. Three drafts and 2 misses. Not good if you are going to be a top level team. Andy makes the final decisions we are told but Howie and the staff must be presenting the various options for him. The scouting department has to be overhauled too. Building a football team is about drafting well (scouting), bringing in FA that fit the schemes you want to run(scouting) and having the right coach. Please NO college coaches(Jim Harbaugh doesn’t count. He was an assistant for 7 years in the NFL). No recycled coaches.(Gruden/Billick/Cower ) Give a top flight assistant a shot. Look at the organizations that have been successful. The Giants, Steelers,49ers,Packers and I would throw in the Ravens.
Hey everybody I know we all come here to bitch at each other and agree to disagree but everyone please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!!!!
Thanksgiving was a month ago! 🙂
Love it Vinnie!!!
I could care less. I will tell you this though. Roseman appears to have ENERGY at least wich is something the team lacks. I liked the pick of Cox, Kedricks, maybe curry, and Foles this year. Even if he is not the future it was a pick that went opposite current player trend and went BIG.
That still remains to be seen. Howie is not a good talent evaluator. Who is the last drafted player for the Eagles to become a perennial All Pro? Shady was the last DRAFTED All Pro player,…..but with this offensive line he won’t be a perennial All Pro, but he’s not one of Howie’s picks. None of Howie’s picks are even thought of in that light…..Who gives a flying crap about Howie’s ENERGY,…..I want TALENT, and RESULTS!!
I like Tim Tebow as a person but I think Foles is already better at QB than he is and Tebow went in round one (silly McDaniels). So think on the bright side if he survives this Awful O-Line maybe he can show something next year.
Foles will be fine with better protection, which would give hi more time to showcase his talents…Say what you want, but I see Brady type Potential.
Foles sucks. He is a nothing
Larrwd, Foles will be fine with better protection, which would give hi more time to showcase his talents…Say what you want, but I see Brady type Potential.
No one outside of the Eagles FO really knows who has been responsibile for what. Like I said I don’t care if Howie stays or goes. I also want results. I was just pointing out that it’s possible that Howie is just there to tell a coach how he can fit things under the cap. Or he could be the man in charge. Maybe he brought in Babin and 24 maybe not. If he did maybe he learned from his mistakes. Either way the team needs an overhaul. If he found a Franchise QB in the 3rd round though he has kicked a-lot of other GM ass. If Foles busts it was a limited gamble.
Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone and though our Birds have been playing like Turkeys the last couple of years, we all have many things to be thankful for
Nice article G-Man and am concerned about Roseman’s ability yo
Handle traditional GM Duties, remember that CoachAR is also the President of Football Operations and really has had the final say-so when it comes
To Drafting/Roster Management
Remember that the Eagles hired former Bills President Donahue
Who may figure in the mix this off-season as far as Front Office goes..
Foles does not throw the ball like Brady at all.. And your the guy that said Russell Wilson wouldnt make an NFL roster..
Thats right, and I still stand by my prediction that he will be nothing in the long run….having a fantasy season; I admit that, but like I said it’s an aberration
Support your stance Cliff. Who cares about ENERGY! So what qualities do the successful GM’s have? I do not know about Brady type potential. I would not mention Foles in the same sentence with Brady at this stage. Let’s see what type of team gets built up around him. Kind of un fair at this moment but the Patriots were further along with Brady in his rookie year than the Eagles are right now. Foles is at a disadvantage which may lead to a decision that another QB may be drafted. Brady had stability in the coaching staff with Belicheck. Foles won’t have that.
We’ll just have to wait and see Philly. I think it is imperative that he get a more effective QB Coach, and Offensive Coordinator.
Enjoyed you reply Brother.
An interesting thing to watch the next couple of weeks is to see who the Eagles hire as their Comminications Director to replace the one that was fired earlier this week. If this new-hire is connected to this Donahue fella they hired back in the Off-Season than this tells me that Donahue is getting his staff in place and may be the next “football guy” that Lurie is counting on to be the President of Football Opearations and could very well begin to run the Football side of things as AR gets phased out.. Lots of moving parts happening at the NovaCare Center
Gmcliff and vinnie are out of touch with reality
LOL!!! Truth is reality
Im hearing that the soon to be open Eagles coaching job is one of the top jobs in the NFL that many covet…….also been hearing Penn State’s Bill O’Brien is very interested and has not confirmed he will be back in Happy Valley. He will lose all of his talent to graduation and the next 4-6 years will be bleak. Many believe he could quickly turn around the Eagles will their current core of players. Stay tuned.
O’Brien is not the answer here. Comes from the NE coaching tree and when was the last time one of Belichek’s assistants panned out as a head coach. Never.
I always thought Joe Banner controlled the Eagles roster with his price for position chart also known as the Gold Standard — but we can’t blame Joe for this season of bad off season moves
Howie escapes blame as long as Andy Reid says he has final say in front of the cameras———— Howie was hired to be the man, let him be the man now
he is on a short leash with us fans but he has to be given a shot at the top
We have to cut our losses with Reid and Roseman. Let’s get a fresh start. Sticking with Roseman would be a disaster. He would be involved in a coach selection which means he would want someone he has power over. This organization has always been arrogant and who holds the bigger stick from the players to the front office. They came into town with their Gold Standard Mantra and talk of winning championshipS. The only organizations who have EARNED the right to talk like that are the Steelers,49ers and Packers.
Let’s get a football guy for operations and let Howie sit with his calculator and work on contracts.
It’s not even Nate Allen over Earl Thomas…it’s Danny Watkins over Earl Thomas and that’s a whole different shade of stupid.
Different year, different draft, Butch! Thomas- 2010 draft. Watkins- 2011 draft. We drafted Graham in 2010, when we could of had Thomas & JPP.