The 2021 NFL Draft is now less than two weeks away, and it is certainly a crucial one as the Eagles try to rebuild their roster with 11 picks.
Leading up to the draft many fans have (to say the least) expressed some concern about the fact that Howie Roseman will be the one making those picks.
NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal seems to agree.
In a recent piece for NFL.com, Rosenthal ranked 23 general managers on their draft record, not including the nine that are either brand new to the job or haven’t been there long enough to get a fair read on their picks so far.
Roseman came in 21st of the 23 general managers he ranked.
Rosenthal’s reasoning:
Roseman's first pick back in charge after the Chip Kelly era was Carson Wentz. Signing Wentz to a massive second contract has proven far more costly (the Eagles have a $33.8 million dead-money hit in 2021, per Over The Cap) than moving up to select him second overall, as Wentz contributed significantly to a Super Bowl title and two other playoff teams. The picks Philadelphia traded away for Wentz, however, left the team with a smaller margin for error that Roseman didn't sufficiently compensate for with quality selections. The next-best picks since 2016 includeDallas Goedert, Miles Sanders, Avonte Maddox and Derek Barnett. Roseman deserves credit for an Eagles roster that was loaded from 2017 to '19, but it wasn't because of recent drafts.
Rosenthal lists Goedert as Roseman’s best pick and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside as his worst. Only Giants general manager Dave Gettleman and Raiders general manager Mike Mayock were ranked lower than Roseman.
Roseman’s draft track record certainly does not match up with his overall record. Overall, Roseman has one of the better resumes in the NFL as a general manager, holding a 62-49-1 (56%) record, going 4-3 in playoffs, winning one NFC Title and one Super Bowl title. Only eight general managers currently employed have both a better winning percentage.
Drafting, however, has been a weak spot for Roseman. He has drafted just one Pro-Bowl player since 2014. First-round picks like Andre Dillard and Jalen Reagor have not had the impact you would expect from first-round picks. The lack of young talent on the roster has lead Roseman to have to sign older veteran to fill key spots.
Despite the poor drafting record, Roseman will once again lead the Eagles’ draft room in the 2021 NFL Draft — and he will have perhaps more pressure than ever to hit on the majority of his picks.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!