Eagles' Howie Roseman Ranks 21st Out Of 23 For NFL General Managers In NFL.com Power Rankings
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)- The 2021 NFL Draft is now just over a week away and the Eagles enter the weekend in Cleveland with the most picks of any team (11). In theory, that gives the team a good opportunity to add a wealth of young talent to a roster desperately in need of a youth infusion. But, skeptical fans, looking at the organization and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman's track record in the draft in recent years may not be overly hopeful. If that's you, NFL.com reporter Gregg Rosenthal's GM Power Rankings are unlikely to make you feel any better Roseman's abilities.
Rosenthal put together a ranking of all of the league's GMs late last week based on how they have used their draft capital. He looked at drafts from 2015 through last year and only included the GMs that have run at least two drafts. Of the 23 that have done so, Roseman ranked third-worst at No. 21.
In the blurb accompanying the ranking, Rosenthal points out that the first pick with Roseman back in charge was, now traded, quarterback Carson Wentz. The issue Rosenthal has isn't with the pick as much as the trade to move up and draft Wentz which left the organization with "a smaller margin for error that Roseman didn't sufficiently compensate for with quality selections."
Among the selections since then, Rosenthal has Dallas Goedert, Miles Sanders, Avonte Maddox and Derek Barnett listed as solid picks. But, that's only four selections out of 18 in the years from 2017-2019. Last year's class is still up for debate as top pick Jalen Reagor spent much of last season dealing with injury. While second round pick Jalen Hurts looks to be the team's starter entering 2021, there are still questions about whether he can take hold of the job full time.
The biggest misses for the organization have been at positions that are still arguably their biggest areas of need entering this year's draft: cornerback and wide receiver. Aside from Maddox, a fourth round pick who appears to be at least a solid slot corner, the Eagles have taken four other corners since 2016. Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, and Blake Countess are all elsewhere. Jalen Mills who developed into a solid part of Jim Schwartz's defense at corner and safety, departed for New England this offseason.
At receiver, all Eagles fans know the hits at this point. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside over D.K. Metcalf. Mack Hollins showed flashes of promise early but never recovered from his injuries to produce. Shelton Gibson (5th round 2017), produced just three receptions and 59 yards over 20 games with the team. The jury is still out on Quez Watkins and John Hightower from last season.
If there's any solace in the list for Eagles fans, it's this. Roseman is ahead of New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman. So he's not the worst among the NFC East general managers according to Rosenthal.
