Howie Roseman

Eagles Promote Alec Halaby To Assistant GM

June 3rd, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The re-working of the Eagles’ front office continues. Not long after it was reported one longtime staffer was being promoted to the role of assistant general manager, another has been given the same title. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports (on Twitter) that Alec Halaby is Philadelphia’s newest AGM.

Halaby will join Jon Ferrari in making the transition from vice president of football operations to this elevated role. The former held his previous title – VP of football operations and strategy – since 2016. Prior to that, he worked as a special assistant to general manager Howie Roseman.

Overall, Halaby’s time with the Eagles dates back to 2007, and includes a two-year stint as a player personnel analyst not long after he joined the team. His ascension up the ranks in Philadelphia’s front office has been marked by work across a number of departments and the inclusion of analytics in decision-making. Interestingly, his promotion comes after many believed Steelers executive Brandon Hunt – who interviewed with the Eagles and was a serious candidate for Pittsburgh’s GM job – would be in line for a cross-state move.

The decision to promote Ferrari and Halaby also comes after the Eagles suffered a number of key executive losses. Catherine Raiche, Brandon Brown, Ian Cunningham and Andy Weidl have all departed this offseason to take AGM roles elsewhere. A number of other front office personnel have been let go, leaving several further moves to be made by Roseman in the coming days and weeks. Regardless of what decisions he makes in that regard for the remainder of the offseason, he will have two new, yet familiar, faces serving as lieutenants.

Eagles Eyeing Jim Nagy, Brandon Hunt For Executive Roles

May 6th, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles have experienced another offseason of significant losses in their front office. Two of the names they are considering to help fill the voids are Jim Nagy and Brandon Hunt, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

McLane reports that both Nagy and Hunt are in consideration for the position of vice president of football operations. That role was vacated earlier this week when it was reported that Catherine Raiche would be joining the Browns as, in essence, their assistant general manager.

The team has already interviewed Nagy, who is most well-known around the league for his contributions to the NFL Draft. For the past three seasons, Nagy has served as director of the Senior Bowl, the annual all-star game held in Mobile, Alabama which is a staple of the pre-draft process. Before that, he worked as an area scout for the Seahawks, so he would be familiar with an NFL front office.

The same is true, of course, with Hunt, the pro scouting director of the Steelers. He has a long, accomplished tenure with the organization, leading many to believe he is a serious contender to succeed Kevin Colbert as Pittsburgh’s next general manager. He has already interviewed for the position once, and may do so a second time as the team’s search heats up. As McLane notes, Hunt was a finalist for the director of player personnel job in Philadelphia in 2016.

If either candidate were to be hired, they would “report to general manager Howie Roseman“, leaving VP of player personnel Andy Weidl at the head of the team’s scouting department. With that said, Weidl – whose brother Casey was just fired from his position as scouting director – has been named as a candidate for the GM job in Pittsburgh, where he began his career.

Overall, the way the Eagles re-stock their front office, and the effects it has on their cross-state rival, will be worth watching as the offseason progresses.

Latest On Jalen Reagor Trade Rumors

May 1st, 2022 at 10:40pm CST by Ely Allen

In the weeks leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, word was going around that Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor‘s days in Philadelphia were numbered. It stood to reason that it would be more financially favorable to seek a trade partner, rather than cut Reagor and incur dead cap charges of over $6MM.

There was some reported interest, according to Tim Kelly of 94WIP, but the Draft came and went, and no trade occurred. Now, that doesn’t mean that a trade couldn’t still happen, but if it were going to, it would’ve been most likely to occur during the Draft.

Zach Berman of The Athletic did provide an update on the situation with a quote from Eagles general manager Howie Roseman saying, “Jalen Reagor is a Philadelphia Eagle and he’s going to be here…He’s worked tremendously hard to get in shape and come into this off-season program, and now he has an opportunity. We don’t anticipate anything changing.”

The 23-year-old was a first-round pick in 2020. Reagor was highly touted as a vertical threat after a productive college career at TCU, but that hasn’t yet translated to his NFL tenure. In 28 games, Reagor has averaged a healthy 10.9 yards per reception, but only totaled 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. With that said, he has also contributed on special teams as a returner.

So, as of right now, it appears Reagor will be returning for another opportunity to contribute. He currently is the third wide receiver on the depth chart behind last year’s first-round pick, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins. He won’t need to pass either of them on the depth chart, necessarily, but needs to really improve his contribution if he wants to remain in Philadelphia.

Eagles Notes: Cox, Lurie, Kirk

April 10th, 2022 at 11:38am CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles released longtime DT Fletcher Cox last month to avoid having $18MM of what he was due under his prior contract becoming fully-guaranteed. The club then re-signed him to a one-year, $14MM contract several days later, which, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, is “real” (meaning that Cox will actually earn that money and that the $14MM figure is not inflated by incentives). However, the deal does include two void years to flatten the cap charge, which was especially important since the release already created considerable dead money on the Eagles’ books for the 2022-23 seasons.

Even though Cox is coming off a season in which his play showed noticeable signs of decline and in which he publicly complained about the club’s defensive scheme, his $14MM payout is still $4MM more than what any other free agent interior D-lineman received on a per-year basis this offseason. That has led to plenty of questions about why the Eagles authorized such a contract, but owner Jeffrey Lurie suggested other clubs were willing to pony up for the six-time Pro Bowler, thereby necessitating the financial outlay.

McLane reports that the Eagles did call at least three teams in March to discuss a Cox trade, but just like their in-season trade talks in 2021, the more recent discussions were undermined by Cox’s prior contract and GM Howie Roseman‘s high asking price.

Now for more out of Philadelphia:

In the same piece linked above, McLane details the growing role of Lurie’s son, Julian Lurie, within the organization. Now 26, the younger Lurie participated in the NFL’s two-year program for prospective executives upon his graduation from Harvard, he took part in the Eagles’ head coaching interviews in 2021 — ultimately advising his father as the team transitioned from Doug Pederson to Nick Sirianni — and even spearheaded the interviews for the team’s analytics department. Assuming he wants to take up the mantle, it seems that Julian Lurie will someday succeed his 70-year-old father at the top of the franchise.
In a piece exploring whether Jeffrey Lurie is too involved in his team’s personnel decisions, which will be of particular interest to Eagles fans, McLane reports that, in 2018, the team was prepared to select one of two receivers in the second round: Ohio State’s Parris Campbell or Stanford’s JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Roseman and then-VP of player personnel Joe Douglas wanted Campbell, but Lurie preferred Arcega-Whiteside, and after Lurie successfully curried Pederson’s support, Roseman and Douglas felt compelled to go along with their wishes. That has led to broader questions about whether Lurie really values Roseman as a GM as much as he says he does, or if he simply likes that he can use Roseman as a “conduit” to the team.
The Eagles have not yet acquired a cornerback this offseason, and while Sirianni hyped the unproven contingent of players behind CB1 Darius Slay on the current depth chart — a group that includes Zech McPhearson and Tay Gowan — McLane says the team will almost certainly add a CB or two at some point. The Eagles will hold a “30” visit with top CB prospect Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, and while Gardner may be off the board by the time Philadelphia is on the clock with its No. 15 overall pick, a player like Washington’s Trent McDuffie or LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. could be an option should Roseman decide to select a first-round corner for the first time in his history as a GM.
The Eagles have taken some swings at high-profile FA targets this offseason but have mostly come up short (with all due apologies to Haason Reddick and Zach Pascal). In addition to his pursuit of receivers like Allen Robinson and Robert Woods, Roseman also made an offer to former Cardinals wideout Christian Kirk, as McLane writes in a separate article. Kirk, though, received a four-year, $72MM deal from the Jaguars, a move that many have decried as more desperate spending on the part of Jacksonville. Though Kirk would doubtlessly have been an asset to Philadelphia’s WR corps, his $18MM AAV presently looks like an overpay.

Panthers Still Interested In Deshaun Watson; Eagles Did Extensive Work On QB

February 23rd, 2022 at 4:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

A still-muddled legal situation has left Deshaun Watson‘s NFL career in limbo, but the quarterback continues to generate interest. While the Dolphins have moved out of the picture, the other team closely connected to the three-time Pro Bowler remains interested.

The Panthers still have Watson on their radar, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. The Panthers were prepared to make a major push for Watson last year, and after initially backing off after the off-field trouble surfaced, they were believed to have made the Texans an offer. Carolina re-emerging as a serious suitor could be a significant offseason development, though any trade talk obviously takes a backseat to the lawsuits ensnaring Watson.

Carolina’s quarterback situation moved Matt Rhule to the edge of a hot seat last year, and the team has not had stability at the position since Cam Newton‘s injuries began to pile up. The Panthers still have Sam Darnold‘s fully guaranteed $18.8MM salary on their payroll, but for a player like Watson, the QB-desperate team likely would not view that as a hindrance.

Watson holds a no-trade clause, and he is not believed to have waived it for anyone but the Dolphins last year. Still, his past at Clemson and the now-Mike McDaniel-led Dolphins exiting the pursuit — despite Stephen Ross‘ extensive interest prior to the 2021 trade deadline — certainly makes the Panthers a team to watch here.

Watson refusing to waive his no-trade clause for the Eagles did not stop them from doing plenty of work on the embattled QB. GM Howie Roseman “intensely” researched Watson’s situation, and the Eagles sent an investigator to Houston last year to gather more intel on this complex off-field matter, Wilson adds. With both Roseman and Jeffery Lurie being on this at various points, the door should not be viewed as closed on the Eagles’ end. They have three first-round picks in the 2022 draft — all in the teens — and could present the Texans with a compelling offer. Houston has sought a five- to seven-asset package for Watson, and want three first-rounders included in a proposal.

As for Watson’s criminal and civil cases, the holding pattern remains. Some of Watson’s accusers in the civil suit have yet to be deposed, and Wilson notes a judge ruled this week such depositions can be pushed back until at least April 1. Six of the 22 women accusing Watson of sexual assault or sexual misconduct have yet to be deposed. Watson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, still expects a resolution on Watson’s criminal case, which has seen 10 women come forward with complaints. The Houston Police Department has not yet charged Watson with a crime.

These investigations moving into April would put the teams still interested to decisions at quarterback, with the new league year opening March 16. With quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins‘ true availabilities unknown as of late February, Watson being dropped into the trade mix late would add another complexity to this equation. A potential NFL suspension clouds this process as well.

Eagles’ Lurie, Roseman Split On Jalen Hurts?

December 3rd, 2021 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Carson Wentz‘s Colts usage tracking toward the Eagles receiving a first-round pick from their recent quarterback trade, the NFC East franchise will face a big decision in 2022. The Eagles are in line to have three first-round picks next year, giving the team ammo to move up in the draft or dangle picks for an established quarterback.

The prospect of the Eagles standing pat at QB next year has entered the equation, with Jalen Hurts showing growth as this season has progressed. But the franchise is not yet certain Hurts will be a long-term starter.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie, who directed the Eagles’ front office to avoid adding competition for Hurts’ QB1 gig this offseason, still believes in the second-year passer, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. GM Howie Roseman, however, is not as bullish on Hurts long-term.

Lurie led the way in the Eagles drafting Hurts in the 2020 second round, with McLane adding Roseman supported the pick and made the final decision to pull the trigger. The move ended up triggering a seismic shift at QB in Philly. Wentz went from big-ticket extension recipient in summer 2019 to Colts starter by winter 2021. And, it seems, the Eagles are still entertaining the prospect of making another big splash.

Lurie is believed to have led the way in the Eagles being in the Deshaun Watson mix, per McLane, who adds Hurts was viewed as a possible trade chip in such a deal. Of course, Watson would have needed to approve a trade to Philadelphia. Thus far, the Texans quarterback is not believed to have waived his no-trade clause for any team but the Dolphins. Watson figures to be moved in 2022. While the Eagles stand to be interested again — especially once clarity regarding the embattled star’s NFL discipline emerges — Miami appears to have a lead on the field at this juncture.

Hurts is completing 61% of his passes and averaging 7.0 yards per attempt. He sits 22nd in QBR. Not upper-echelon numbers, but the ex-Alabama and Oklahoma starter has obviously made a major impact on the ground for the Eagles as well. Hurts has a shot at a 1,000-yard rushing season, sitting at 695 (with eight TDs) through 12 games. Neither Randall Cunningham nor Michael Vick accomplished that as Eagles. Catalyzed by 200-yard rushing games in four of their past five games, the Eagles lead the NFL rushing. It would be interesting if the Eagles bailed on him as a starter after such an accomplishment, but quarterbacks like Watson, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers figure to be heavily involved in trade rumors again in 2022.

The Eagles would acquire the Colts’ first-round pick if Wentz plays 75% of Indianapolis’ offensive snaps this season. The injury-prone QB is on pace to do so. Though the Colts could make a run to the playoffs, the Eagles at this point project to have three picks inside the top 20. While the 2022 QB crop is viewed as a significant step down from 2021’s celebrated group, Hurts stumbling down the stretch would certainly link the Eagles to first-round passers. The Eagles’ quarterback decision figures to be one of next year’s top dominoes.

Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman On TE Dallas Goedert

October 15th, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Rory Parks

Even before today’s big news — the Eagles-Cardinals trade that sent tight end Zach Ertz from Philadelphia to Arizona — Dallas Goedert had become the Eagles’ TE1 after spending much of his early career in Ertz’s shadow. Now, with Ertz out of the picture, Goedert is the undisputed top dog in the club’s tight end room, which is not a bad place to be since he is slated for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.

Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman knows that Goedert, despite his time as a second banana, is likely to command top-dollar on the open market. “There’s going to be no discount on Dallas Goedert,” Roseman said (via Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network on Twitter). However, Roseman wants to see Goedert produce at an elite level for the rest of the season before authorizing a contract that would pay the South Dakota State product $12.5MM-$15MM per year.

Goedert and the Eagles have engaged in contract discussions, but it’s unclear how close the two sides ever came to an accord. We also learned that the Vikings inquired about trading for Goedert in late August/early September, and the 2-4 Eagles can probably expect more trade inquiries between now and the November 2 deadline.

That said, Roseman does not expect to be selling off pieces in advance of the deadline, even if his club should lose its next two games (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Of course, the right offer could always make the ever-aggressive Roseman change his mind, though one would have to imagine that his asking price for Goedert would be quite high.

In 31 games played over the 2019-21 seasons — Goedert missed five games last year due to an ankle injury and missed last night’s loss to the Bucs due to his placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list — the 26-year-old has tallied 119 catches for 1,347 yards and 10 TDs. He is also highly efficient, having caught over 70% of his career targets.

Now playing under the fourth year of his rookie contract, Goedert is earning a modest $1.24MM this season. Whether it comes from the Eagles or another team, he can expect a massive raise come 2022.

Eagles GM Discusses Trading Back, Draft Flexibility, Owner

April 21st, 2021 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles have already made headlines this offseason when they traded the No. 6 pick to the Dolphins for No. 12 and a future first. While the front office might not be done trading, they’re making their final preparations for the draft. Armed with 11 picks, the Eagles have the most flexibility they’ve had in the draft in several years, and executive vice president/general manager Howie Roseman recognizes how crucial it is to be ready for whatever opportunities present themselves.

Speaking alongside executive Andy Weidl and head coach Nick Sirianni during a press conference today, Roseman provided some notable details on why the Eagles decided to trade down, how they plan to proceed with all of their picks, and how the team owner is involved throughout the process (h/t to Dave Spadaro and Vaughn Johnson of the team’s website and Zach Berman of the The Athletic):

On the front office’s logic for trading back from No. 6 to No. 12:

“Flexibility creates opportunity. When you go back and look at things that are hard to acquire, that’s one of the toughest things to acquire, a team’s first-round pick in the following year.

“What we really had to do is sit there and go, who are the 12 best players in this draft that we would feel really good about? Are there 12 players in this draft that we really feel good about? That’s what we’re going to do throughout this draft. If you move back, it’s because you feel like you have a bunch of guys that are the same value and to be really happy getting one and getting the extra volume from that pick. If you move up, it’s because your board kind of drops off at that point.

“You have to feel like you’re getting a premium and we felt like we were getting a premium to do that.”

On the front office’s preparation for the draft, especially considering they’re armed with 11 draft picks:

“The process this year with the coaches, with the scouts, has allowed us to really sit down and talk about a lot of these things and figure out the best way to maximize our 11 picks in this draft. We’re really excited about the opportunity to add to this football team next week.”

On how the team overcame the limitations presented by COVID when evaluating prospects:

“Our coaches did an unbelievable job of taking all the guys that we would have interviewed at the Combine in Indianapolis and would have had here in Philadelphia and interviewing all of those guys.

“So just really appreciative of coach and his staff to take all the time to do that, and we continue to do the other things that we do, the psychological reports, and put ourselves in the best possible situation for next week.”

On whether the Eagles would consider Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who finished last year with 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns, despite him only weighing in at 166 pounds:

“Good players come in all shapes and sizes, and so we’re not going to discriminate based on any of those things.”

On owner Jeffrey Lurie’s role in the draft process:

“He’s there to make sure that he’s looking through our process, and if he’s got any questions about why we’re doing things, we’re going to go and have those discussions about why the process looks like it does, why our draft board — just based on the descriptions that the coaches and the scouts are giving of this player. He’s taking notes on those. Those aren’t his evaluations, those are based on the coaches and scouts and making sure they fit in terms of what he’s looking for from that value, that spot. If we’re talking about a guy in the first round and we’re talking about him as a role player, he may stand up and say, ‘Wait a minute, is that really what we’re looking for in a first-round pick?’ He’s not saying this is my opinion, this guy is a role player or not. In terms of his role in the draft room, the draft room, 90 percent of the time, the work is done. It’s all done, and you’re just picking them off based on where it is.”

NFC East Notes: Rudolph, Eagles, Cowboys

April 3rd, 2021 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Rudolph is expected to undergo foot surgery soon, and he may be in for extensive rehab. The new Giants tight end is believed to be dealing with a Lisfranc injury, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. The troublesome foot malady can be difficult to shake, but Rudolph expects to be ready for Week 1. This injury is similar to what Evan Engram dealt with in 2019. Engram underwent surgery to address his Lisfranc issue in December 2019 and was ready for training camp last year. Rudolph’s timetable is considerably more condensed, which likely led to the delay in the veteran tight end signing his Giants contract. Engram and Rudolph would give the Giants one of the NFL’s top tight end tandems, but the former’s injury history and the latter’s current issue cloud that situation to some degree.

Here is more from the NFC East:

GM Howie Roseman and Eagles scouts had differing opinions on which players to select with the team’s top two draft choices last year. The veteran GM and Eagles coaches’ preference for Jalen Reagor won out over the consensus scouts’ preference: Justin Jefferson. Roseman also veered from his scouts’ recommendation in Round 2, tabbing Jalen Hurts over safety Jeremy Chinn, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. The Eagles will bank on the latter move this season, having since traded Carson Wentz and seemingly signed Joe Flacco to back up Hurts. Chinn went to the Panthers at No. 64 — 11 picks after Hurts — and finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Going to the Vikings one pick after Reagor, Jefferson finished second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Frank Reich‘s future took a major turn in 2018, when Josh McDaniels‘ backtracking on his Colts commitment ended up re-routing the Eagles OC to Indianapolis. This came shortly after Reich played a key role in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl championship. Reich nearly saw his status change in 2017, however. A front office push for Reich’s firing existed, according to McLane, who adds Doug Pederson managed to save Reich’s job. In Wentz’s first season — a 7-9 Eagles campaign, which was also Reich’s first as Eagles OC — the team ranked 22nd in total offense. They rose to seventh in 2017, with Wentz finishing first in QBR. The Eagles, who promoted Mike Groh to replace Reich and then fired Groh after the 2019 season, have since hired Reich’s top Colts protégé (Nick Sirianni) as head coach.
Brandon Graham agreed to restructure his deal to provide the Eagles with additional cap space last month. Graham’s adjusted contract can be classified as a one-year extension, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweeting the new deal is worth nearly $20MM over two years. The Eagles converted Graham’s salaries into prorated bonuses, with the 11-year veteran set to earn barely $1MM in base salary in each of the next three seasons. The team tacked on three void years to the contract, per OverTheCap, which indicates each of Graham’s cap numbers over the life of this through-2023 contract are south of $10MM.
After hiring Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys brought both Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee over from Atlanta. The latter’s deal will be worth the veteran minimum, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). Kazee will count just $988K against the Cowboys’ cap. Attempting to return from an Achilles tear, Kazee will collect $250K guaranteed.

Carson Wentz Fallout: Hurts, Patriots, Pederson

February 18th, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The Carson Wentz era in Philadelphia came to an end today, as the former second-overall pick was dealt to the Colts. However, just because Wentz was sent packing, that doesn’t necessarily mean Jalen Hurts will slide into the starting spot. Sources tell ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen that the Eagles intend to bring in “competition” at quarterback, and the “starting job is not expected to automatically go to Hurts.”

The Eagles made a significant commitment to Hurts when they selected him in the second round of last year’s draft, and the former Alabama/Oklahoma standout showed flashes of potential during the 2020 season. Hurts ultimately started four of his 15 appearances this past season, completing 52 percent of his passes for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He added another 354 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 63 carries.

It’s pretty clear that Hurts is the heir apparent at the quarterback spot, so this report is probably mostly lip service … teams don’t want their young players to rest on their laurels. Rather, the team is likely looking toward a veteran free agent who will provide some extra motivation to the young signal caller.

Let’s check out some more Wentz-centric notes:

The Colts ended up sending Philly a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick. According to Zak Keefer of The Athletic, Indy’s offer “hadn’t changed all that much across 10 days of negotiations.” The Colts front office ultimately believed the compensation was “fair,” and they never intended to “meet the Eagles’ initial demands of multiple first-round picks.” Per Keefer, the Colts understood that Wentz wasn’t their only option to replace Philip Rivers, and the front office was weighing other options while negotiating with Philadelphia.
We learned earlier today that the Bears had inquired on Wentz but never made a definitive offer. The same goes for the Patriots. According to Jeff Howe of the The Athletic, New England called the Eagles about the quarterback but lost interest when they heard the asking price. As the reporter notes, the Patriots are unlikely to “overpay for a veteran if it’s not a perfect fit,” especially at this point in the offseason.
How did it get to this point between Wentz and the Eagles? ESPN’s Tim McManus writes that the drafting of Hurts may have marked the “beginning of the end,” but there were plenty of additional factors that came into play during the 2020 season. As the Eagles losses and injuries continued to mount, (former) head coach Doug Pederson stripped Wentz of “much of his control over the offense.” As a result, Wentz vicariously lost faith in his head coach and the system.
Wentz didn’t just lose faith in Pederson. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Wentz “lost faith in [general manager Howie Roseman‘s] decision making. Wentz held a similar sentiment toward owner Jeffrey Lurie, who supported his GM and the front office’s decision to select Hurts in the second round.

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