In 2018, coming off of their Super Bowl win, the Eagles announced that Howie Roseman had signed a contract extension with the team that went through the 2022 season.
To say a lot has happened since then would be an understatement.
Doug Pederson, who extension was announced that same day, is now gone and coaching in Jacksonville. Carson Wentz, whose MVP play in 2017 was part of the reason Roseman even got the extension, is gone as well and might be looking for a new team soon.
Left standing as always, and entering the final year of that deal, is Roseman.
Considering the magnitude of this offseason, and the draft capital they have to spend, the Eagles would be wise to give Roseman a contract extension that ensures he doesn’t enter this offseason as a lame-duck general manager, making sure he doesn’t have to worry about his future at the same time he tries to make franchise-altering decisions.
Think of it like a player.
If a crucial member of the Eagles roster was entering the final year of his deal, and was coming off of a strong season, there would be little debate on whether the team should give him an extension now instead of waiting. The argument would be to pay the player now, ensuring you don’t have to pay more later, and not make the player go through the tension of a contract year. It is a path the Eagles have taken many times.
Roseman’s situation isn’t exactly like a player, as contracts of general manager’s aren’t often discussed, but it is just as important. Having job security while he makes these important decisions is essential. A lame-duck general manager is often a recipe for disaster, considering it sets up a dynamic where the general manager doesn’t have much incentive to worry about the future. The result is often short-sighted moves aimed at immediate results that help the general manager get a new deal. It is important from a team-building perspective to know the general manager is locked in, not just for important decisions, but for the staff around him.
Outside of those dynamics, however, there is one simple reason why the Eagles should give Roseman an extension.
He earned it.
Since the 2020 season ended, Roseman took a team whose future was bleak coming off a 4-11-1 season torpedoed by bad quarterback play and turned it around with one of his strongest offseasons as general manager.
The first move was turning Carson Wentz into a 1st-and-3rd round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The deal looks even better now than it did at the time, as Wentz could be one-and-done in Indianapolis, and the pick ended up being much higher (16th) than many expected. Forced into trading Wentz, Roseman was handed a tough hand and was faced with what what could have been a devastating moment in the franchise. He was able to turn it into a positive. If Roseman doesn’t nail that deal, and doesn’t get a first-round pick back, the discussion about this team’s future is much different.
The second move that has helped set the Eagles up for future success was the trade with the Miami Dolphins. The trade, which netted the Eagles an unprotected 1st-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, saw the team move back ultimately only four spots to acquire. That pick, like the Colts pick, ended up being higher than expected as well, coming in at No. 15 overall.
The acquisition of the Colts pick and the Dolphins pick arms the Eagles with three 1st-round picks, giving them the kind of elite draft capital that can jump start their rebuild. They could draft three players this year, and if they hit on the picks, the Eagles would then have three, cost-controlled impact players for the next four seasons. They could trade back and get a pick in next year’s draft, giving them two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023.
The true value of the three first-round picks, however, is that it allows them to be in any discussion for any elite, veteran quarterback that could become available this offseason. In a league built around quarterback play, not many — if any — are better suited to acquire an elite player than the Eagles are.
Roseman’s 2021 NFL Draft is also reason for the Eagles to be optimistic about the future.
It is early, but so far, the 2021 class is shaping up to be among Roseman’s best.
DeVonta Smith looked every bit the part of legit, impact receiver. Landon Dickerson helped anchor one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Kenny Gainwell played meaningful snaps all season and Milton Williams showed some serious potential as an inside pass rusher. Roseman’s draft record, as is noted often, is certainly not perfect. His latest class, however, is encouraging.
As a result of the strong offseason, the Eagles went from one of the worst teams in the league in 2020 to a playoff team in 2021. The Eagles have now been in the playoffs four of the last five seasons, something only a handful of teams have accomplished.
For all of his flaws, the reality is the Eagles are almost always competitive with Roseman running the team. That isn’t something many teams can say. Overall, in the eight seasons with Roseman as general manager — excluding the Andy Reid years and the one Chip Kelly year — the Eagles have been in the playoffs six times.
There is very little risk, but lots of reward, in extending Roseman now. Roseman’s contract doesn’t count against a salary cap. It won’t come with a dead-cap hit if in two years things take a turn for the worse. It will only be money out of Lurie’s pocket. While Lurie didn’t get rich by just handing money away, the benefit of paying Roseman now and making sure he isn’t a lame-duck general manager is worth the risk. The reward could be another outstanding offseason like Roseman just had.
Finding good general managers are not easy. Just ask the Giants, Washington and the other franchise that routinely struggle to make the playoffs because they don’t have a good general manager.
The Eagles have a good general manager. They should make sure they don’t run the risk of losing him next offseason by giving him an extension now.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com