Eagles Buzz: Howie Roseman faces unique challenges in 2024 offseason, ironically a familiar position

The key to sustained success in the National Football League is adaptability. And there are few more in the league who understand that more than Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, as he seeks making Philadelphia a legit contender again in 2024.

Roseman is one of the longest-tenured general managers in the league today and has been in that position since 2010. Since then, Roseman has helped deliver Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl title and brought them back in 2022, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing in Philadelphia for Roseman and the Eagles, and they’ll be the first to admit it.

After a disastrous 2020 campaign that left the Eagles organization in a state of disappointment and confusion, Howie Roseman and Philly brass had a lot of self-reflecting to do. What happened to the team and organization that were on top of the football world just three years prior?

Head Coach Doug Pederson had been fired, and franchise quarterback Carson Wentz had forced himself out of the organization. They were left with more questions than answers on what exactly went wrong.

That’s when the front office did what they felt was needed, and made a huge change in philosophy. The organization’s rather sudden downfall could be credited to the awful drafting that had taken place in the years prior. Jalen Reagor, Andre Dillard, Derek Barnett, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Davion Taylor, and Sidney Jones are just a handful of names that the Eagles invested high draft capital in that completely flopped.

Not only did what they drafted not turn out well; the guys they passed up on turned into stars. You don’t accidentally or unluckily draft that badly.

So, the Eagles made a transition. They’ve since targeted players from bigger SEC schools in the early rounds of the draft and have seen immense upgrades in results. In 2021, they moved up to draft DeVonta Smith and then selected Landon Dickerson in the first two rounds, both Alabama alumni.

DeVonta Smith caps off his Heisman season with 215 yards and 3 TDs in the #NationalChampionship.

The greatest out of a legendary group of Bama WRs 🐐 pic.twitter.com/7wkOxSRuPy

— ESPN (@espn) January 12, 2021

The Eagles, after not drafting an Alabama player in their previous 156 draft picks, took two in a row. That is not some funny coincidence, as it’s clear the Eagles put an emphasis on drafting from big schools.

In 2022, they selected Georgia star defensive tackle Jordan Davis in the first round after trading up with the Houston Texans. They followed that up by selecting Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean in the third round. Two star players on Georgia’s defense that led them to a National Championship.

In 2023, they used two first-round picks on Georgia defenders Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. They traded up one spot for Carter and had Smith fall in their laps at pick 30. As I mentioned, that isn’t a coincidence. Instead it’s a clear change of philosophy that’s proven dividends.

Well, fast forward to today where Eagles brass is left with a sour and nasty taste in their mouth following a historic collapse to end their 2023 season, they’re once again facing a crossroads.

The #Eagles are the first team in NFL History to start 10-1 or better and not reach 12 wins, via @RoobNBCS.

A truly historic collapse. pic.twitter.com/S5DrsxlFUZ

— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) January 8, 2024

Their stubbornness to invest serious resources in linebackers, their decision to pay two cornerbacks in their thirties big-money contracts, and the assembling of arguably the worst coaching staff in the league have all led to another state of confusion and disappointment.

In 2024, Howie Roseman and company must look themselves in the mirror and once again admit that what they’re doing is holding them back from getting to where they want to be; back on top of the football landscape.

Well, according to multiple sources The Liberty Line has spoken with, it’s safe to assume there will be a change in philosophy once again. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense will look different in 2024. Not just in the coaching and schematics department, but the personnel department.

Both cornerback James Bradberry IV and safety Kevin Byard are expected to be released. A source told The Liberty Line that it’s a foregone conclusion Bradberry will not be in Philadelphia next season, whether it’s via trade or cut. Well, it’ll be very surprising if a trade market for Bradberry assembles given his contract and production, so expect him to be released. As for Kevin Byard, a potential return on a cheaper deal is possible.

Now, to address what is arguably the Eagles’ biggest blunder last offseason: the linebackers. After letting both starters at the position in 2022 walk in free agency to other NFC franchises last offseason, the Eagles poured very few resources into the position.

They were very reliant on Nakobe Dean to step into the Mike linebacker role, but Dean was limited to just five games last season due to foot injuries. They signed Nicolas Morrow last March, and Zach Cunningham in training camp. Both would end up playing pivotal snaps for Philly in 2023. They got Ben VanSumeren as an undrafted free agent and later made a late-season move by signing former All-Pro Shaq Leonard.

In 2024, the ball is in Howie Roseman’s court to adjust just like it was in 2021. It’s not to the same degree today as it was three years ago, but it’s needed to ultimately win a championship.

Their first telling order of business was hiring Vic Fangio as their new defensive coordinator. I mentioned in an article a few weeks ago that Fangio’s defense relies on linebackers who are fast, athletic, and can cover. The Eagles currently have zero linebackers who fit the bill on their roster. But, a source predicts that Howie Roseman and company will pour a significant amount of resources into the position compared to last season.

Now, a significant upgrade compared to 2023 isn’t very telling as they couldn’t have disregarded the position any more last offseason. But, when reality slaps Howie Roseman and the Eagles in the face, they’ve shown the ability to react accordingly.

They’ll need to again this offseason, and I’m confident they will.