Patience Was A Virtue For Howie Roseman On Thursday Night
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 28: General manager Howie Roseman talks to the media during training camp at the NovaCare Complex on July 28, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As mentioned yesterday, Howie Roseman and the drafting staff for the Eagles had a blueprint laid out in front of them for the opening night that was easy on the eyes. A team coming off a Super Bowl appearance with an elite offense. A defense that had holes but still multiple starters from a record-setting season. And a head coach that seems to have his team performing as one. Add to that the 10th overall pick and 30th on the first night and it seemed hard not to improve the Eagles in some way.
And they sure did. As we know, Jalen Carter was touted by many experts as the top talent in the draft. His fall came mostly from off-the-field problems that we’ve discussed. It only cost the Eagles a fourth-round pick to move up to No. 9 to ensure they landed him. In getting Nolan Smith at 30, it was another semi-shocker that the edge rusher was still there.
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While getting those two former Georgia stars is the big story, the side story has to be the patience Howie Roseman showed in being able to seemingly shore up a defensive line that was depleted by losing Javon Hargrave to free agency. While the popular pick among fans would have been to move up and grab running back Bijon Robinson, Howie waited. And looked what happened.
Then as the 30th pick approached and Smith, who many had predicted to go to the Eagles with the 10th pick, was still available. Many urged a move-up trade to land him, but Howie waited and was rewarded.
Patience doesn’t seem to be a virtue that Howie possesses. At least not in these eyes. I don’t say that in a bad way at all. He is always eager to improve the team, to get out in front of situations. Sitting silent or standing pat are never words I attach to the general manager.
But patient, because of Thursday night, is a label Howie has earned well in my book.
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Last Night Shows Why You Shouldn't Read Mock Drafts
If you ever listened to the show and the topic of Mock Drafts comes up, I always rip them and tell you to stop wasting your time. Want to read them the week or day of the draft? Go for it. I do too. But I never get excited over them because they NEVER go the way these analysts predict.
0% chance any pundit thought theCardinals get:
12
33
1st in 2024
3rd in 2024
Texans get:
3
105
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2023?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Texans would trade up to the 3rd overall pick after already drafting 2nd. It seemed like 97.5% of mock drafts had Jalen Carter going 5th overall to the Seahawks. The one that made me laugh the most was the climb of Will Levis in everyone’s mock draft for him only to sit there waiting and waiting and waiting to only find out he would not be drafted on day one.
Mock drafts are a joke ESPECIALLY “version 1.0” which comes out in January before the playoffs are even over. Here are the final mock drafts from some of the top draft analysts.
Let’s see just how close they came to getting the Eagles’ picks right:
Bob Cooney has been a part of the Philadelphia sports scene for more years than he wants to admit after 25 years in print media, and now in his seventh year at The Fanatic. Throughout the years, he has covered all sports from the World Series, multiple Final Fours and Regional Finals in men’s college basketball, to the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club and the 76ers. He takes his sports media knowledge and background to a new level by joining a conversation with the passionate fans of this great city. He writes about the Sixers, Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies for the Fanatic.