Howie Roseman defends roster-building strategy at linebacker

The Eagles collapsed on defense in 2023 but Howie Roseman defended his roster-building strategy as it pertains to linebackers.

By Dave Zangaro • Published January 27, 2024

 

The Eagles are unapologetic about their roster-building strategy. They build through the trenches.

Sometimes at the expense of other positions — namely, linebacker.

"I feel like we've had a long history of success here building the team a certain way,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said on Wednesday. "And I think maybe there are some preconceived notions that at the linebacker position, that we don't care who we play at linebacker. Again, our two Super Bowl teams over the last six years, the linebacker play was good from those guys.”

Aside from the nice reminder that the Eagles have indeed been to two Super Bowls in recent years — slick move, Howie — Roseman isn’t wrong. The Eagles did have had good linebacker play in those Super Bowl years.

And it still hasn’t changed their roster-building philosophies. They still don’t put a ton of resources into that position.

In 2022, the Eagles got a big season from former undrafted free agent T.J. Edwards and a really solid year of play from free agent Kyzir White on a one-year deal. Then they let both of them walk after the Super Bowl — Edwards went to Chicago and White followed Jonathan Gannon to Arizona.

The Eagles clearly put all their eggs into the Nakobe Dean basket and that didn’t work out in 2023.

"I think if anything, it's my belief in the players that we have, the young players that we have. I have a lot of belief, and I know Coach does, as well, in Nakobe Dean,” Roseman said. "I believe in the player. I believe in the person.

"We lost two linebackers at that spot, two good players from our Super Bowl team, and we had Nakobe waiting in the wings. We drafted him for that role. Obviously, it didn't work out perfectly for him this year. That doesn't change the belief we have in the player.”

It’s understandable why the Eagles would have wanted two rely on Dean entering 2023. They used the No. 83 overall pick (a third-rounder) on Dean in 2022. And for the Eagles that is a very significant resource on the position.

But the Eagles and then-DC Jonathan Gannon made no effort to get Dean on the field as a rookie. Edwards and White were playing well so Dean sat on the bench. And then the Eagles just expected Dean to show up in 2023 and be their starting middle linebacker and green-dot wearer. 

But Dean got hurt in the season opener, went on IR, came back, got hurt again and finished his season on IR. Dean played in just five games and didn’t play well, although it’s fair to wonder if he was ever really healthy.

The problem with the plan in 2023 was that the Eagles didn’t have a Plan B. They expected Dean to be a starter and the only additions in the spring came when they signed Nicholas Morrow to a veteran minimum deal and when they signed Ben VanSumeren after the draft.

During training camp, when they clearly needed help, they signed Zach Cunningham and Myles Jack on Aug. 6. Cunningham ended up being the Eagles’ best linebacker by a long shot in 2023.

"Then we felt like we'd have the ability to get an off-ball linebacker, WILL linebacker, who can run and hit,” Roseman said. "And honestly when you watch the tape, Zach Cunningham had a good year. He really did. He had a mentality that we like for that position.”

Cunningham, 29, wasn’t great in 2023 but he was decent for a player who was available during training camp. And that might actually embolden Roseman to do it again. He thought the Eagles would be able to get a decent weak side ‘backer at any point and they kind of did with Cunningham.

While Cunningham exceeded expectations, the Eagles clearly got subpar linebacker play this past season. Watch the playoff the last couple of weeks and you’ll see big-name linebackers flying around and making plays. And then remember that Morrow and Cunningham were the Eagles’ answers in 2023.

It’s worth noting, by the way, that the Eagles are back in a similar situation going into 2024. Both Morrow and Cunningham are set to be free agents again. Dean will be coming off a foot surgery but he and VanSumeren are the only linebackers under contract from the previous season.

The thing that made the Eagles’ skimping at linebacker hurt even more is that they have poured all these resources into the defensive line and didn’t get the payout, especially down the stretch, that you would have expected. If that happens, then there’s probably less questioning the way the defense was built.

But that didn’t happen. And it left the Eagles very clearly exposed and then exploited in the middle of the field.

"I think in roster building, you're not going to be perfect,” Roseman said. "You're going to make mistakes. I think that you can look at the four teams playing right now, and I promise you we can go over a couple things they'd like to have back. That's part of it.

"The most important thing we've got to do is have a vision for how we want it to look. We've got to have a process that we want to have. Sometimes you can have a vision, have a process, and the result is not what you want. So you've got to make sure that you're not overreacting to a result that maybe just kind of was an aberration in the moment, and then you've got to look at maybe is the process right.”

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/howie-roseman-defends-roster-building-strategy-at-linebacker/561399/

35 minutes ago, time2rock said:

"We lost two linebackers at that spot, two good players from our Super Bowl team, and we had Nakobe waiting in the wings. We drafted him for that role. Obviously, it didn't work out perfectly for him this year. That doesn't change the belief we have in the player.”

But here is the problem Howie... It should change your belief in the player. His rookie season he barely played and I believe got hurt during the season? Then when he was asked to step in and be the starter this year he got hurt twice and also didn't exactly stand out when he was on the field.

Howie isn't going to change his approach. He isn't going to invest in the LB position but he will defend his approach and he will argue that we have put resources in the position. Well this is the time for him to do so again if he truly believes we do because right now they have 1 LB on the roster? They may have others under contract but Dean is really the only LB and right now he is a depth guy or at least on most other rosters would be.

3 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

But here is the problem Howie... It should change your belief in the player. His rookie season he barely played and I believe got hurt during the season? Then when he was asked to step in and be the starter this year he got hurt twice and also didn't exactly stand out when he was on the field.

Howie isn't going to change his approach. He isn't going to invest in the LB position but he will defend his approach and he will argue that we have put resources in the position. Well this is the time for him to do so again if he truly believes we do because right now they have 1 LB on the roster? They may have others under contract but Dean is really the only LB and right now he is a depth guy or at least on most other rosters would be.

I wouldn't read much into that comment.  What is he supposed to say ... "we lost all faith in Dean"?  Just have to hope that, while he is saying that stuff publicly, that he knows they need to address the position (and that they can't count on Dean).  

2 minutes ago, time2rock said:

I wouldn't read much into that comment.  What is he supposed to say ... "we lost all faith in Dean"?  Just have to hope that, while he is saying that stuff publicly, that he knows they need to address the position (and that they can't count on Dean).  

See I hope you are right but I don't know... Howie has stuck with others before who perhaps have shown enough to deserve it? I truly think he has a blind spot at LB and saying this about Dean is an excuse to not do a lot at the LB position again. But hey I could be wrong and I hope I am.

The draft is a great place to find good linebackers who don't cost much. If the position is not a top priority in FA due to $ dedicated for the position being low, then the draft is the best and only place to shop for them. This defense needs a really good CB and 3 starting caliber LB'ers. Dean is a bust so far. Too small, weak, and might be injury prone at this level. I have little hope and no confidence in his ability to be the long term impact player the Eagles need at MLB. There are a few in the draft who may prove better, one of which is an Eagles legacy pick. We'll see what Howie does, or doesn't do. Going forward with Dean as the top LB'er looks like folly to me.

2 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

The draft is a great place to find good linebackers who don't cost much. If the position is not a top priority in FA due to $ dedicated for the position being low, then the draft is the best and only place to shop for them. This defense needs a really good CB and 3 starting caliber LB'ers. Dean is a bust so far. Too small, weak, and might be injury prone at this level. I have little hope and no confidence in his ability to be the long term impact player the Eagles need at MLB. There are a few in the draft who may prove better, one of which is an Eagles legacy pick. We'll see what Howie does, or doesn't do. Going forward with Dean as the top LB'er looks like folly to me.

I don't disagree with any of that and will add that I do think Howie is likely to make roster building on defense more of a focus this offseason (based on comments he made during that PC last week).  But I don't think we should expect him to add 3 starting caliber LBs in a single offseason - that is probably asking too much.  Gut feeling says 1 taken day 2 of the draft, another taken later on day 3, and obviously he loves to add undrafted rooks to add to the mix (hoping he'll get lucky like he did with Edwards).   And have to figure he'll probably look to add one via free agency as well (just hope whoever it is isn't the bottom of the scrap heap variety ... go get a mid tier FA).  So I expect we'll be addressing LB over a couple of offseasons.  

3 hours ago, time2rock said:

I don't disagree with any of that and will add that I do think Howie is likely to make roster building on defense more of a focus this offseason (based on comments he made during that PC last week).  But I don't think we should expect him to add 3 starting caliber LBs in a single offseason - that is probably asking too much.  Gut feeling says 1 taken day 2 of the draft, another taken later on day 3, and obviously he loves to add undrafted rooks to add to the mix (hoping he'll get lucky like he did with Edwards).   And have to figure he'll probably look to add one via free agency as well (just hope whoever it is isn't the bottom of the scrap heap variety ... go get a mid tier FA).  So I expect we'll be addressing LB over a couple of offseasons.  

I was pointing to the need I see ,not what I expect from the Eagles. 1 LB'er in FA and 1 in the draft and I'd be happy they are finally trying to fix the problem.

If the eagles are going to continue to sign 2nd tier free agent linebackers and draft late round linebackers, then they need to do more due diligence in not only selecting these guys but try to hire the best linebacker coaches they can get....

Doing it the way howie does it is just taking a BIG chance on a player having a year outside of his normal performance......sometimes it works, most of the time, it doesn't.

With the way the salary cap pressures are these days, I understand why some positions need to be underpaid. RB for example.....but RBs are plenty and an offense can be effective with a rotation.  LB is different....really good linebackers can be the hub the defense revolves around with leadership, attitude.....not to mention being the "QB" on defense.  

Howie's ego is what got him sent to the basement before and very well could happen again. 

Yawn.  Howie got this part wrong.  And if we are going to the 3-4, need backers for sure.