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    Philadelphia Eagles G.M. Howie Roseman On Team’s Next Steps

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    Philadelphia’s general manager has come under fire in recent years for Carson Wentz’s contract, the team’s post-Super Bowl slide and reports of dysfunction in the front office.Nick Foles. The Philly Special. The Lombardi Trophy parading down Broad Street.The giddy memories from the Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory after the 2017 season have faded dramatically for the team’s famously vocal fans, who have fallen into despair over the rapid descent since.After squeaking into the N.F.L. playoffs in 2018 and 2019, the Eagles, through a combination of injuries and bad play, went into free fall last season, finishing with a 4-11-1 record. The architects of the championship run were rewarded: Quarterback Carson Wentz signed a second contract reportedly worth $128 million over four years (with about two-thirds of it guaranteed), while Coach Doug Pederson and General Manager Howie Roseman got contract extensions. But Pederson was fired after last season and the oft-injured Wentz, once thought to be the franchise’s future, was traded to the Colts in March.Roseman, who has been general manager for every season but one since 2010, now must find a way out of the morass for the Eagles in a year when the salary cap was cut 8 percent leaguewide. The Eagles’ current contracts also put them near the bottom of the league in money available for new player signings. Roseman, in two interviews, spoke with The New York Times about the franchise’s uphill climb ahead of the 2021 draft that starts Thursday, where the Eagles hold 11 total picks.The interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.There are still restrictions on meeting potential draft picks. For example, you met Carson Wentz four times before you picked him. This year, you would have had no face-to-face meetings. How have you adapted?Roseman: I think that that’s where the value of our scouting is even more important than ever, because these guys have really studied these players and talked to their sources since they came into college. Now it’s different because of the pandemic. But they have these backgrounds on these guys starting the year before they come out and they are underclassmen. And so you’re really relying on them and who are the leaders of the team. The background and character is such a big part of what we do in a normal year, but even more integral when you’re talking about this kind of process.You helped rebuild the Eagles after their last downturn in 2015 and 2016. How is the process different this time?We’ve been in situations before where we might not have as many assets as we do the next two years. We’re excited about that. We climbed the mountain once, we’ll climb it again.Why did you move on from Carson Wentz after making so much effort to draft him and sign him to a contract extension?When we looked at the whole picture going forward and being able to not only get the draft picks, but also get close to $50 million in cap relief, we felt like it was a win-win for us, the player and the Colts. And those are the best trades.What should Eagles fans take away from the trade that sent Wentz to Indianapolis (for a third-round pick this year and a conditional second-round pick next year)?Because we have so many picks over the next two years, it gives us the flexibility to not only move up and down the draft board, to target some guys, but also if there is an opportunity in the trade market at a particular position, to go get that guy, especially when we look at the cap and how the cap got reduced because of the pandemic.Was it anything specific about Wentz that led you to move on?I don’t know that we can point to one factor. I think that it was a variety of factors that led us to this, including his desire for a fresh start.Does this mean Jalen Hurts is your new franchise quarterback?This is one of those games that when you take just a small period of time, you can’t evaluate any player just on potential. So for any young player, including Jalen, he has to stack days on days to continue improving and work at his craft.Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrated a touchdown during a game against the Washington Football Team last January.Chris Szagola/Associated PressWhat’s been the hardest aspect of the salary cap being cut by 8 percent, particularly when you have so little cap space on your roster?This is the first year that I can remember that we were really forced to be more conservative in terms of opportunities. We are balancing that with the knowledge that we have a lot of draft picks going forward that will allow us to get a lot of young players onto the roster.What do you think when you hear criticism that you’re not doing enough or the players aren’t doing enough or the coaches aren’t doing enough?We’re not looking at this like, you know, let’s see how long that we can struggle. We’re looking to turn this around as quickly as possible, and we feel like we’ve done that. You talked about the transition from Coach [Andy] Reid and Coach [Chip] Kelly came in, and we won 20 games the next two years. Coach Pederson came, we won seven and then we won 35 the next three years. And so that’s our goal, and accumulating assets is a way to make us better quicker — it’s not to sit here and just see how long it takes to get back on top.Some reports have described dysfunctional communication in the team’s front office last year. Are those descriptions fair?Last year with the pandemic was a unique year in terms of communication for everyone. But at the same time, if we didn’t have a team that worked together, then we wouldn’t have had the success that we had in the past when we dealt with adversity, whether it was coming back in 2016, getting a whole new group and winning a championship in our second year, or in 2018 and 2019, with the starts we had, finishing strong one year and making a strong run in the playoffs and the other year winning the division. More

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      N.F.L. Quarterbacks on the Move: Wentz. Watson? Darnold?

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyN.F.L. Quarterbacks on the Move: a GuideCarson Wentz is a Colt, Jared Goff is a Lion and Deshaun Watson wants to be anything but a Texan. A look at the deals that have been done, and a few more that might be next.Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff will be swapping uniforms.Credit…Paul Sancya/Associated PressFeb. 19, 2021, 10:57 a.m. ETIt is not two weeks since the Super Bowl, and already three quarterbacks — including the first and second picks in the 2016 draft — have been traded. More movement, possibly much more, will follow. Frustrated stars, well-priced veterans, young starters — all could be on the move, as this emerging era of quarterback empowerment collides with a salary-cap crunch that compels teams to assess their resources at the sport’s most critical position.All deals cannot be made official until the new league year begins on March 17, but here’s a partial list of quarterbacks who will be — or might be — wearing new uniforms when the 2021 season opens next fall.Quarterbacks Who Have Already Been TradedJared Goff, Rams to Lions Whether Goff, 26, revitalizes his career with Dan Campbell’s merry band of kneecap biters in Detroit depends, in part, on his aptitude for doing something with the Lions that he did not do with the Rams: hold on to the ball. Considering Campbell’s apparent penchant for cannibalism — beyond vowing to bite off opponents’ kneecaps, he also stated at his introductory news conference that the Lions would “take another hunk out of you” — Goff would be wise not to approach the 17 turnovers he committed last season.Matthew Stafford, Lions to Rams After 12 seasons without a postseason victory in Detroit, where he became the Lions’ franchise leader in passing yards, completions and touchdowns, Stafford will join the Rams, a team that acquired him to win far more than just one playoff game. Backed by a ferocious defense, Stafford, 33, should allow Coach Sean McVay to unbridle a downfield passing game that rarely materialized with Goff.From deep in the archives: Carson Wentz smiling in an Eagles jersey.Credit…Michael Ainsworth/Associated PressCarson Wentz, Eagles to Colts Wentz was done with the Eagles, and the Eagles were done with him, so their ability to turn one of the N.F.L.’s worst quarterbacks last season (and his onerous contract) into a decent return from Indianapolis — a third-round pick in April and a second-rounder in 2022 that could turn into a first — is a small, if pyrrhic, victory. But his departure from Philadelphia still signifies a failure for an organization that 20 months ago rewarded him with the most guaranteed money (more than $107 million) in league history at the time. The Colts are betting that Wentz will be invigorated by reuniting with two former mentors in Philadelphia, Coach Frank Reich and the assistant Press Taylor, and by joining a roster laden with foundational talent on both sides of the ball.Quarterbacks Who Might Be TradedSam Darnold, Jets Though Darnold would seem a not-incompatible fit for the run-heavy scheme of the new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, his future with the Jets hinges on two factors: the team’s interest in Deshaun Watson and its evaluation of every draft-eligible quarterback not named Trevor Lawrence. If General Manager Joe Douglas perceives potential successors like Justin Fields of Ohio State or Zach Wilson of Brigham Young as better long-term options, or if he succeeds in prying Watson from Houston, then Darnold — drafted third over all only three years ago — could be gone.Deshaun Watson, Texans Watson has requested a move away from Houston and, armed with a no-trade clause negotiated into the four-year extension he signed last September, can influence his destination. The Texans, when not doing things that alienate their star quarterback, have been adamant in saying they want to keep Watson. Considering he counts a bargain-rate $10.54 million against the salary cap in 2021, they have no incentive to offload him. But with Watson steadfast in his desire to leave, at some point the Texans must determine if they can remain steadfast in their desire to hold on to him — and if not, just how colossal a bounty they can extract for him.Deshaun Watson wants to leave the Texans, who are not ready (yet) to grant that wish.Credit…Eric Christian Smith/Associated PressMarcus Mariota, Raiders His lone appearance last season — when he accounted for 314 yards, including 88 rushing, in the Raiders’ Week 15 loss to the Chargers — showcased the tantalizing skills that prompted Tennessee to draft Mariota No. 2 over all in 2015. With a reasonable $10.6 million cap hit next season, Mariota may be able to parlay that single game, and some untapped promise, into a better opportunity elsewhere.Quarterbacks Who Are Unlikely to Move, but Who Knows?Derek Carr, Raiders To be clear, the Raiders have shown no inclination to trade Carr, who was the only regular-season quarterback to outduel Patrick Mahomes (and nearly did it twice). But in a division ruled by Mahomes, and with the rookie Justin Herbert of the Chargers ascending, the Raiders might be swayed to move Carr provided they were assured of a definite upgrade. Beyond possibly Watson, there aren’t many of those available.Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers The 49ers nearly won a Super Bowl with Garoppolo and may be quite content to try to reach another again with him. But he has missed 23 games across the last three seasons, and according to overthecap.com, San Francisco could save $23.6 million by releasing or trading him. Could this be the off-season Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch get younger at the position?Drew Lock, Broncos The Broncos’ struggle to develop a successor to Peyton Manning led them most recently to Lock. His uneven second season suggested he continues to tilt on the team’s scale of tall, big-armed quarterbacks more toward Brock Osweiler than John Elway, who picked Lock in the second round in 2019. Lock would figure to be involved in any potential deal for Watson, who might be enticed by Denver’s receiving talent.Dak Prescott, Cowboys When healthy, Prescott ranks among the league’s best quarterbacks. So there is a better chance that Dallas lures Troy Aikman out of retirement than lets Prescott, recovering from a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, leave in free agency. The Cowboys are still hoping to complete a long-term deal with him before March 9, the deadline for applying a franchise tag, and if the sides can’t agree, Prescott would play under the tag for a second consecutive season. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers Roethlisberger, who turns 39 next month, told The Athletic that he would be glad to restructure a contract that next season carries a $41.25 million cap charge. That could free up money to help the Steelers retain some of their 19 unrestricted free agents, but the gesture is moot if they decide the team’s long-term prospects are better without him.Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins It’s possible that Miami, instead of using the third overall pick to surround Tagovailoa with more offensive talent, will choose to draft his replacement instead. But the only plausible scenario in which Tagovailoa is traded this off-season involves the Texans, who would almost certainly demand his inclusion as part of any package for Watson.Quarterbacks Who Could Be Availa— NopeAaron Rodgers, Packers: Russell Wilson, Seahawks: Wilson went all Festivus on the Seahawks, airing his grievances during a recent media blitz. He lamented getting hit so frequently and, spurred by watching Tom Brady and pals power Tampa Bay to a title, indicated he would like a larger voice in personnel decisions. Both are legitimate gripes. The Seahawks know how rare Wilson is. They may appease him. But they’re not trading him.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      This Eagles’ No-Win Quarterback Predicament Isn’t Like the Last One

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storytrend watchThis Eagles’ No-Win Quarterback Predicament Isn’t Like the Last OneJalen Hurts, a rookie, was named the Week 14 starter over Carson Wentz, a franchise quarterback, but Philadelphia is in no way suited for a rebuild.Jalen Hurts, right, initially made cameos on gadget plays for the Eagles. But as Carson Wentz flailed, and Hurts moved the offense against the Packers on Sunday, the starting spot came into question.Credit…Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesDec. 9, 2020, 3:00 a.m. ETThe Philadelphia Eagles were too cursed for too long to finally win a Super Bowl without a “Twilight Zone”-worthy twist. Fate granted the Eagles a championship but denied them the franchise quarterback they thought they were getting with it.Carson Wentz’s career has been clouded by skepticism since the moment Nick Foles hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the 2017 season. Three seasons later, Wentz’s benching in favor of Jalen Hurts, a rookie, casts doubts on his future and threatens to plunge the Eagles into a long, bitter rebuilding cycle.Wentz is suffering through a catastrophic 2020 season. He leads the N.F.L. with 15 interceptions and has endured 50 sacks, 10 more than any other quarterback. While a revolving door cast of receivers and offensive linemen deserves a share of the blame, those players have nothing to do with the fact that Wentz’s throwing mechanics, accuracy, timing and decision-making have gone haywire. He is hesitant to throw to wide-open receivers, blunders into sacks while stumbling around the pocket and appears almost morally opposed to checking down for a safe 4-yard toss when he can force a 40-yard interception instead.Worst of all, his 2020 performance looks less like an extended slump than the final stage of a three-year decline.Wentz, the second overall selection in the 2016 draft, appeared destined for superstardom when he threw 33 touchdown passes and led the Eagles to an 11-2 record in 2017 before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in December. Foles, a journeyman backup, relieved Wentz and led the Eagles through the playoffs and past the New England Patriots for the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory. Foles, not Wentz, outdueled Tom Brady, caught the “Philly Special” and was honored with a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field.Anyone who studied ancient history knows that a general as triumphant as Foles either becomes emperor or is exiled to a barren Mediterranean island, and quarterback disputes are typically resolved similarly. Yet the Eagles retained both quarterbacks for the 2018 season. Wentz proved to be turnover- and mistake-prone when he returned to the lineup, and fracturing a vertebra in December of that year led to another late-season hot streak by Foles that propelled the Eagles into the playoffs.The time had come for an exile, and for a confidence-boosting coronation. Foles signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2019 off-season. Wentz signed a four-year, $128 million extension, then battled through another mixed bag of a season. He threw for 4,039 yards and 27 touchdowns to lead the injury-ravaged Eagles to a playoff berth in 2019, but appeared to be malfunctioning for long stretches. His season ended with yet another injury in a playoff loss. Foles’s ineffectiveness in Jacksonville in 2019 silenced any second-guessers, but Wentz’s time without a challenger would be brief.The career of Carson Wentz, right, has been clouded by skepticism since the moment Nick Foles, left, hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl LII.Credit…Frank Franklin Ii/Associated PressThe Eagles ostensibly selected Hurts in the second round of this year’s draft to provide an insurance policy against further Wentz injuries and to add an occasional wildcat wrinkle to their offense. It was like a couple thinking an amicable third partner would somehow spice up their romance, and had about as high a likelihood for success. Hurts’s cameos on gadget plays took on increasing significance as Wentz flailed, but Coach Doug Pederson seemed reluctant to risk upstaging Wentz by giving Hurts more to do.Hurts finally replaced Wentz with the Eagles trailing, 20-3, in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and did a better job of moving the offense, though that may have been the case only because the Packers were unprepared for the switch. Pederson named Hurts the starter against the New Orleans Saints for Week 14; the battle for the future of the franchise has officially been joined.Moving on from Wentz, if the Eagles choose to do so, will not be as simple as reprinting the depth charts. Wentz’s contract guarantees him huge sums in staggered stages, insulating him from any hasty organizational decisions. Wentz will cost the Eagles almost $35 million in cap space to keep in 2021, but over $59 million to cut. So even if Hurts assumes the job and plays like Patrick Mahomes for the next month, Wentz will almost certainly remain on the 2021 roster.Furthermore, the Eagles project to be $66 million over next year’s salary cap because of the backloaded contracts of many veteran Super Bowl holdovers. Any attempt at a cap purge could leave the Eagles with Hurts leading a lineup of minimum wage earners while Wentz eats a prohibitive chunk of the payroll to clap politely from the bench. The Eagles are in no financial position to begin rebuilding around a rookie quarterback, which circles back to the question of why they drafted one.The Eagles’ no-win quarterback predicament reflects poorly upon Pederson, who supervised Wentz’s backslide into ineptitude, and upon General Manager Howie Roseman, who negotiated Wentz’s contract, drafted Hurts and strained the limits of team economics to keep much of the Super Bowl nucleus intact. Roseman has added almost no top-tier offensive talent in the last three seasons, and Pederson’s game plans have stagnated, making Wentz as much a symptom of the Eagles’ deeper problems as the cause.However the Wentz-Hurts dilemma plays out, it will look nothing like what the Eagles were hoping for when Wentz’s ascendance led, indirectly, to a Super Bowl victory. Instead of enjoying the prosperity and stability that come with a young franchise quarterback, they’re trapped in a “Groundhog Day” cycle of desperate reruns, where the same creaky cast enters September with championship aspirations but reaches December wondering whether a backup will be able to bail out an increasingly battered, bewildered starter.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More