Howie

The Eagles are in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years and the third time in eight years. That is one heck of an accomplishment. There is a lot of credit to go around, but you have to give Howie Roseman a lot of it.

Think about the 2022 team and this team. Most of the defense is new. There are four new starters on offense. Howie had to replace legends like Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox. He did and the Eagles didn’t miss a beat. That tells you what an amazing job he’s done the past couple of years.

Let’s talk about Howie and what has made him special in recent years. I think some people over-simplify it and think of the GM as a good scout. That’s only part of the equation.

Howie is, in my mind, the best GM in the NFL. Is he strictly a scout? NO. Is he strictly a cap guy? NO. Is he strictly a high level manager? NO.

It’s an incredibly tough job where EXPERIENCE matters and you need a DIVERSE skillset to be more of a CEO than 1 trick pony. https://t.co/4xhVpPmMJQ

— Jake Rosenberg (@jakerosenberg33) January 28, 2025

Well put. Howie can scout and identify talent. He also understands the economics of football. A GM is a team builder, not just a drafter. You have to understand when to draft people and also how much to pay players. Value is part of the equation because you have finite resources (unlike the LA Dodgers).

I think Howie has done a good job in building up a philosophy over the years of what he wants. In the past he studied other organizations and looked for patterns. There is nothing wrong with that, but you need to identify what you want and how you want to build your team.

Remember when we heard the phrase “red star player”?

After calling Sydney Brown a “red star” player, Howie Roseman explains:

“That’s a guy who kind of exemplifies what it means to be an Eagle, so it’s great character, captain, testing numbers, intelligence, plays the way it should be played, practices the way it should be played.”

— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) April 29, 2023

There are some basic elements to that, but it isn’t as simple as looking at stats or workout numbers. Character is a big part of the equation. Football character. Nick Sirianni talks about how if you bring in the right guys they will have the best chance of maximizing their talent, whatever that may be. I think the red star player ties into that idea.

The Eagles have been on a roll with recent drafts. They blew the Jalen Reagor pick in 2020 and they’ve been on fire ever since. There are stories about who wanted Reagor. The bottom line is that the Eagles took him and he was a major bust. Since that pick, they have been locked in. Maybe we should thank Reagor for making the organization realize they needed to not repeat that debacle.

One of Howie’s biggest strengths is the way he is always looking for talent. Mekhi Becton was signed after the draft. 31 other teams had a shot at that guy and passed. Terrific addition. Isaiah Rodgers was another good addition that 31 teams could have had.

I don’t know how things were between Howie and previous coaches, but he sure seems to listen to Vic Fangio. That’s smart. Find out what your coaches want and try to find out what they see so you can be on the same page. Fangio liked Jalyx Hunt and the Eagles took him in the third round. I’m sure Howie liked him independent of Fangio, but it was good to find out the DC liked the small school kid and would embrace him.

The Zack Baun story will be a part of Eagles lore. The whole world saw him as a backup edge and STer. Fangio saw an ILB. Howie wanted to sign him either way, but the Eagles trusted Fangio and put Baun at LB. He now has a chance to be the Defensive Player of the Year. That is nuts.

You sure can’t argue with Howie’s success over the past decade.

Since Howie Roseman reclaimed his spot as the Eagles’ general manager in 2016… pic.twitter.com/i2nxHGnny9

— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) January 27, 2025

The good news is that he seems to be getting even better. That’s got to be a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.

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In case you missed it, here are my notes on Day 1 from the Senior Bowl. 

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