There really isn’t a debate that even at his worst, Howie Roseman has been the best GM in Philadelphia sports for a long time now.
Elton Brand, Bryan Colangelo, and others ruined the 76ers “Process”. Matt Klentak was a disaster and Chuck Fletcher is not even sure if he wants a rebuild. Roseman ended up winning by default for many years. Shoutout to Ernst Tanner for being very competent and giving Howie a run for his money, though.
No more. Daryl Morey’s trade acquiring future Hall-of-Famer, James Harden is one of the biggest sports moves any of the four major sports teams have made in Philadelphia. The only close comparison is when the Eagles traded for All-Pro Wideout Terrell Owens in 2004. A superstar athlete joining as face of the franchise, at a time when a title is the only barometer. The comparisons are uncanny.
But Morey’s latest move confirms he has taken the title of “Best GM in Philly” from Howie Roseman for the time being. What Howie Roseman does now will be fascinating.
This isn’t to say Roseman will make a risky trade like Morey made this offseason. No front-office leader would make a move to upstage another in a completely different sport in the same city. But as the conversations grow louder for a top QB to be on the trade block, and three first-round picks, what Howie Roseman does next could very well be the next big domino to fall in Philadelphia.
Maybe Roseman doesn’t go Quarterback hunting, and instead looks to upgrade the team in free agency? The Eagles have the ability to be much more flexible in free agency this year – could a solid wide receiver be on the horizon? A safety perhaps?
Or speaking of the draft, three first-round picks give the Eagles unparalleled flexibility to do whatever they want. Do they trade into the top five to nab one of the top defensive players? Do they trade one first-round pick to 2023 to solidify themselves for next year’s deep QB class?
The possibilities are endless when it comes to what Howie Roseman is going to do. It’s very clear though that there is a new sheriff in town when talking about who the best GM in the city is.
It’s no longer Howie’s title by default. And what he does next will be the clear demarcation point in where the Eagles go in 2023.
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire
