The Philadelphia Eagles looked clearly like the best all-around football team in the NFC this 2017 season and that was even after they lost their QB.
It’s so easy to forget 2015 and how it looked like this organization was traveling down a path to irrelevance with the Chip Kelly era crashing and burning. Much of the core roster that made them so dangerous had been swept away by Kelly’s changes. Most felt it would take considerable time to build it back up again. However, that didn’t seem to suit GM Howie Roseman. If anybody had a chip on his shoulder about this team it was him.
After all, it was Kelly’s maneuvering that had him removed from power over the roster that year. So when ownership gave it back to him in 2016 there was no doubt he felt like he had something to prove. People talk about the strength of this Eagles team and how they survived so much to reach the Super Bowl. Perhaps what’s most amazing about it is how swiftly it came together. Most of the key players helping them to this point weren’t even on the roster in 2016.
Roseman 2016 and 2017 off-seasons were masterpieces
Things got off to a roaring start two years ago. Roseman has developed a reputation over the years for being a big proponent of trades. He loves to wheel and deal and he was doing a ton of it in 2016. All told the Eagles made eight trades between March 9th and September 6th of that year. In that time they unloaded a host of draft picks and players brought in during the Kelly era as he worked his way up the board to secure Carson Wentz as their franchise quarterback. They also secured Brandon Brooks, Rodney McLeod, and Nigel Bradham.
He wasn’t done though. Somehow Roseman may have actually outdone himself in 2017. In free agency, he grabbed Alshon Jeffery, Nick Foles, Torrey Smith, Stefen Wisniewski, Chris Long, Corey Graham, Patrick Robinson and LeGarrette Blount. He also traded for cornerback Ronald Darby and running back Jay Ajayi. Last but not least they secured Derek Barnett, Rasul Douglas and Mack Hollins in the draft. All of this was done in the space of just over a calendar year.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: QB Desperation Brings Lots of Trades
That is black belt levels of work right there. People struggle to understand how tough it is to pull off. Most good GMs typically take three to four off-seasons to assemble a strong collection of talent like that. For Roseman to do it in two represents the kind of stuff that is seen maybe once per decade. Eagles fans should be grateful for what he’s been able to accomplish.