Howie Roseman believes the Eagles’
strongest personnel advantage should come from knowing their own players and retaining the players selected in the annual NFL draft. Philadelphia has access to years of information that cannot be recreated through draft meetings, free-agent visits, or film study. The Eagles see how their players practice, prepare, train, eat, respond to coaching and interact with teammates.Roseman believes that information should lead to conviction.
“If we can’t know our team, how do we expect to know anyone else?” Roseman asked during his appearance on the relaunched “Move the Sticks” podcast.
That philosophy helps explain Philadelphia’s willingness to extend contracts before players reach free agency. Waiting can provide additional
evidence, but it can also increase the price or create an opportunity for another organization to become involved. The Eagles extended Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter because they understood the players and people involved. Philadelphia had observed their daily habits and possessed significantly more information than it could gather on an outside replacement.
Roseman also views retention as part of building a sustainable culture. Players should see that teammates who perform, improve, and conduct themselves properly can achieve their financial and professional goals without leaving Philadelphia. The Eagles cannot retain everyone. Strong drafting eventually produces more deserving players than one salary cap can accommodate. Roseman considers that a painful but positive problem because it reflects the overall quality of the organization.
His responsibility is determining which players make the greatest difference between winning and losing. Those decisions begin with knowing the people already inside the building.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Howie Roseman explains Eagles’ philosophy on retaining their own players
