The Eagles have a history of fielding great teams on paper that struggle to meet the high expectations that come with it. After an excellent offseason from GM Howie Roseman, they enter training camp with one of the most complete rosters in the game.
The Eagles are positioned to make a playoff push
Currently, the Eagles have their over/under for the upcoming season at 8.5 wins. It’s one of the highest in the NFC. But general manager Howie Roseman is aware that the Eagles still have to go out and earn every bit of success.
“I feel like this is Philly. Obviously, there are always going to be expectations. At the end of the day, we have to start that with camp.” Roseman said at the introductory press conference. “We have to start that with having a good camp, having a competitive camp, getting guys ready to play for the start of the season.”
Roseman is also aware of the team historically not meeting expectations when they are thought to be a great team.
“I think the other thing we talk about a lot is our most talented teams have not necessarily been our best teams. You can have all this talent, but them coming together and fitting the right pieces in place is the most important thing.” Roseman added. “That’s what this camp is for, coming together as a team and making sure the talent meets connection and goes into a place with the season where we’re feeling really good about the people.”
The winds of change
A big reason why past rosters constructed by Howie Roseman have been inconsistent throughout the years has been injuries. Key injuries to top players have sometimes gotten in the way of a talented group. Other times, it’s an inexperienced coaching staff not gelling well with the group.
In 2022, the Eagles have Nick Sirianni entering his second year as the head coach. While his first year was passed with flying colors, the growth of the coaching staff is almost just as important as the roster.
“I think last year watching how coach and his staff handled adversity, like we talked about in this city, we were 2-5, and handling that and being consistent, I thought it was really impressive” Roseman said in defense of his head coach.
But last season is over. What worked for the 2021 Eagles may not work for this new iteration of the club. Howie Roseman did an exemplary job of improving the roster during the off-season.
While he may think there can still be more to do, it now comes down to the players and coaches to execute and succeed with the high expectations that are following them.
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire
