Howie Roseman Has Taken The Juice Out of the Draft
The NFL draft is in less than a week. And I have no buzz. I am speaking for me and me personally, but I fear that I am not alone. You might be saying to yourself “oh, well this guy obviously isnt a football guy” but thats not the case.
Let me give you some back story on me. I love the draft. In high school, me and a buddy spent January through April creating a draft bible. 2 mock drafts, player breakdowns, and sleepers. I was a self described draft nerd. The NFL draft was Christmas for me. Howie has been the grinch.
I realized it a few weeks ago when the trade back to 12 went down. It zapped any juice I had for April 29th. On the surface, I understand the trade…..kind of. Getting an extra first round pick to move down 6 spots would be deemed a good move for any other GM in the sport. But not Howie. And there’s good reason for that. Because for a guy who struggles with evaluating talent, the sixth pick in the draft was poised to be virtually idiot proof. Especially when you consider the quarterbacks that could go in the top 5. Now its not like they cant, or wont get a player at 12. After all, the last time they had the 12th pick it ended up being Fletcher Cox. But the Howie factor is so so real for me
Since Howie Roseman has taken over for Chip Kelly he has drafted ONE Pro-Bowler. He traded him this offseason to Indianapolis. Thats 36 players. Issac Seumalo is the only one remaining from the 2016 draft class. Derek Barnett and Nate Gerry are the only members from 2017’s class who remain. 2018 still has all their players (YAY!) and the 7th round pick that year (Jordan Mailata) looks like a future stud at left tackle. That moves looks great! But then you compound that with the fact the very next season Howie TRADED UP to draft Andre “Hes crying again” Dillard and its another strike against Howard.
Here is the reality. We have no idea. When Andy Reid would take a guy, we had no idea. When Chip Kelly would take a guy, we had no idea. And with Howie, we have no idea. But we have a pretty good indication of where its headed. And that’s the frustrating thing. After Jeffrey Lurie continued to bury his head in the sand and fire Doug Pederson in favor of Howard, that gave you a sense that you’re likely not going to be happy come April 29th.
This is a man who doesn’t listen to the scouts, instead deciding that he, a glorified accountant, knows more than the scouts. THere is no doubt that Roseman watches the movie Moneyball and says “The sequel will be about me! Ill tell the scouts they don’t know what they’re talking about! I know more!” What the movie ignored was the stacked rotation those Oakland A’s teams had. The Eagles don’t have an A’s rotation equivalent. Because they’re old, and devoid of talent.
The scouts wanted Justin Jefferson. The scouts wanted Jeremy Chinn. Who knows what other advice the Eagles scouts gave Roseman that he decided to ignore. This past week Howard and Gordy Gohard Nick Sirianni stood at a table and addressed the media where Howie praised the scouts. No doubt a response to the Athletic article. But what does it matter if when push comes to shove you cast the advice aside to take a WR from UTEP? or a CB from Missouri? Im just making stuff up as examples here but you get the idea.
The Eagles were poised to get talent at pick 6, whether it be Kyle Pitts, or Ja’Marr Chase. Now They will have no shot at either player, barring a Laremy Tunsil like disaster come draft night. They will also be drafting behind the Giants and the Cowboys. And are at serious risk for the “Howie Factor.” When Howie decides to reach for a player so he can look like he’s the smartest guy in the room.
There is little doubt that Roseman will sit on a zoom call post Eagles draft and with his nasally voice say “Were very happy! We were able to move back, acquire more assets for this year and next, while also being able to take the top player on our draft board.” And at that moment, my head will slam into a wall in the hopes that this reality is nothing more than a dream.
Howie Roseman, and his horendous drafting have done this to me. Howie Roseman, and his ability to CONSTANTLY pass on top talent when its on the board have done this to me. The fact that Jeffrey Lurie cant quit Howie because Howie allows him to sit in the draft and the two act like tweedle dee and tweedle dumb, ruining the franchise in the process….well that’s done this to me. It’s turned me from a guy who used to love the NFL draft, and is now dreading next Thursday because there is no doubt in my mind the Howie Roseman has not changed. And Howie Roseman will screw this up.
Thanks Howie!
