Takeaways from Howie Roseman at the NFL Owners Meetings

Howie Roseman spoke at length in Phoenix on Sunday and covered everything from AJ Brown to cap space to the quarterback room. Here is what stood out.

The AJ Brown situation is the obvious starting point.

Every time Brown came up Howie Roseman’s answer was some version of AJ Brown being a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Nick Sirianni echoed similar statements. Neither were a flat out denial on the trade, just that AJ Brown is on the roster.

People are reading that as ominous. I am not one of them.

The Eagles are not trading AJ Brown. I am very confident in that. He is one of the best receivers in the NFL, would cost a lot of money to trade, and all things considered, Jalen Hurts and the offense needs him.

The reporting about serious trade conversations is the same recycled narrative that has been following Brown for two offseasons now and it has not materialized either time.

Howie Roseman is being careful with his words because that is what he always does. It does not mean Brown is on his way out. He will be in an Eagles uniform in September and the people spending their spring convinced otherwise are going to be wrong again.

Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore

Howie Roseman framed both signings around building a receiving corps with different sizes and skill sets. He pointed to the vertical element Hollywood brings and compared it to Nelson Agholor in 2017 and Quez Watkins in 2022. The 2024 team was constructed differently and these additions are designed to fit what Jalen Hurts does best.

Eagles Secondary

On Reed Blankenship, Howie Roseman gave a long answer about incomplete information at the time and a broader plan to retain certain players and prioritize certain positions over the next two to three years.

He never addressed Blankenship directly. He acknowledged it looks like a great price for a great player in hindsight. He did not apologize for the decision. Frustrating answer but not a surprising one.

Andrew Mukuba is the foundation and they expect significant growth from year one to year two. The draft and post-draft period will bring more additions. The safety room is not done.

On Riq Woolen, Roseman called him supremely talented and immediately acknowledged there is a reason a supremely talented player was available. He cited the price point and the defensive system familiarity as reasons the Eagles felt comfortable taking the swing. Reasonable flier. Whether it pays off depends entirely on whether the consistency issues can be corrected.

Eagles Quarterback Room

On Andy Dalton as the QB3, the Eagles always want three quarterbacks. Sam Howell last year, Kenny Pickett the year before, Marcus Mariota in 2022, Joe Flacco in 2021. Dalton is the latest veteran to fill the role behind Hurts and Tanner McKee. You are one injury away from being one injury away. That philosophy drives this decision every year.

Howie Roseman’s Cap Work

On the cap space, Roseman was clear that it is not being held for one specific move. It is about flexibility, the ability to act quickly when something comes up without restructuring contracts or asking players to take cuts.

Re-signing their own guys over the next couple of years is the real priority and the space keeps them in position to do all of it.

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