It’s time for the annual NFL meetings which means Team Owners, GM’s and Head Coaches talk to the media in Boca Raton. Both Roseman and Pederson have spoken to various different members of the media already, but have they hinted at how the Eagles are going to use their first round pick?
Howie said "narrative" that RBs are easy to find late in draft isn't necessarily true. Distinguished b/w a role player and difference-maker.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) March 21, 2016
It looks like Howie Roseman is hinting at a running back drafted in the early rounds. According to an interview with Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Executive Vice President Of Football Operations seems to be very fond of the idea.
“And so, when you find a special talent at that position, that guy who can run the ball, who can pass-protect, who can catch the ball out of the backfield, that’s a unique weapon.”
“When you talk about that, there’s a difference between a special player and a role player at that position, those guys are good players, but when you’re talking about the guys who are 1,500-yard rushers, the guys people are game-planning [for], those are hard to get later in the draft.”
So it would seem that Roseman could well be looking to the Draft to replace DeMarco Murray..but things aren’t that simple.
Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson spoke with NFL Network earlier today but seemed to prioritise a different position altogether.
#Eagles Pederson talking draft on NFLNetwork mentioned OL first, saying it all starts there. Sure sounds like this is direction going
— Ed Kracz (@kracze) March 21, 2016
More Pederson and draft: after OL, said secondary help important, have to be able to cover (Hargreaves?), then pass rush. Nothing about a RB
— Ed Kracz (@kracze) March 21, 2016
Now either this was a gameplan all along by the Eagles to ensure they give nothing of their draft strategy or current plans away, or the two simply aren’t on the same wave length yet, which is fine. With the number 8 pick and a draft class this impressive in the first round, there’s no way the Eagles can massively lose here. The question is, just how much of a win can they turn the trade-up into?
Roseman appears to like the idea of taking a Running Back, Pederson would rather address the O-Line and Secondary..all are positions of need at this stage unless something changes in Free-Agency. So at this point there’s no clarity, nobody knows what position the Eagles are going to address with their first round pick..but we do know it will address a position of need which is at least reassuring.
