Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

New Eagles GM but don't expect drastic changes

INDIANAPOLIS - Howie Roseman was able to identify one thing he absolutely knew was going to change for him at the NFL scouting combine this year, Roseman's 10th with the Eagles but his first as the general manager.

Andy Reid and Howie Roseman talk to the media last month after Roseman's promotion to GM. ( Michael S. Wirtz / Staff Photographer )
Andy Reid and Howie Roseman talk to the media last month after Roseman's promotion to GM. ( Michael S. Wirtz / Staff Photographer )Read more

INDIANAPOLIS - Howie Roseman was able to identify one thing he absolutely knew was going to change for him at the NFL scouting combine this year, Roseman's 10th with the Eagles but his first as the general manager.

"I'm not walking with Tom Heckert everywhere I go. That'll be different," Roseman offered, as he and an Eagles contingent of 46 other administrators, coaches, scouts, doctors, video people, jugglers, lion-tamers and acrobats prepared to head for the league's annual livestock assessment, scheduled to get under way today.

Heckert is expected to be here, but as the Cleveland Browns' new GM, after nearly 9 years overseeing the Eagles' personnel - 4 years with the GM title. Roseman says, and some of the people who do business with the Birds agree, that the switch from Heckert to Roseman shouldn't change much about the team's decision-making.

For one thing, sources close to the situation have suggested Roseman's voice was at least as prominent as Heckert's for at least a year before Heckert left. For another, coach Andy Reid still seems to be the ultimate decision-maker, along with team president Joe Banner. Roseman hardly will be running around hotel lobbies setting up trades or free-agent acquisitions by himself.

"It's similar to what we did last year," Roseman said. "Last year we all did everything together."

Roseman said where he and Heckert previously briefed Reid on the 60 college players each team is allowed to formally interview, now he would do the briefings by himself.

One personnel man from an AFC team noted yesterday there were several changes with the Eagles, Heckert taking Jon Sandusky and John Spytek from the personnel operation with him to Cleveland. But he added that the Eagles promoted from within, elevating Ryan Grigson and Louis Riddick, further discouraging the notion of any sort of radical departure from form.

"We all try to put our own spin on things," Roseman said. "You learn from things that people have done. Tom did a great job. I took a lot from what Tom did, but I think I do have my own personality, and my own take on some things . . . I think there will be some things that'll be different, just in the normal course of things."

An agent - let's call him Agent A - who frequently deals with the Eagles said yesterday that he has done a lot of contract work with Roseman and always had the sense that the proposals Roseman presented came as much from Reid and Banner as from the negotiator.

"He's been the person I've talked to most in the organization," Agent A said. "I always got the sense he was speaking for the leadership team; he was always well-prepared . . . Everything that goes on there is a reflection of Joe and Andy. I don't think we'll see much of a philosophical difference."

Another agent - Agent B? - agreed that "the business model of the Eagles is not going to change," but voiced the hope that Roseman might present a less confrontational face for the organization in personnel dealings and in dealing with the public.

"Howie has a softer manner than other people in that organization have had. In the past they've been perhaps unnecessarily heavy-handed," the agent said. "If Howie has an ability to make a difference, it may be in that regard."

A third agent (might as well be "C") concurred.

"He has great people skills. Howie knows how to put out fires, get things done," the agent said. "He has a more engaging personality, maybe," than Banner, his mentor.

Roseman's background - he comes from the contract side rather than the football side - has been much discussed, and speculation holds that his ascension signals Banner gaining more sway over football matters.

Agent C, though, cautioned that, "Andy feels very comfortable with [Roseman]," and that, "He knows what Andy is looking for in a player."

Heckert was perceived to have little to do with contracts. It will be interesting to see how much of a role Roseman retains there.

"That's part of the role of the general manager these days," Roseman said. "You want to have interaction with the agents. There are times that you're going to get involved in trying to get a deal done. I think that's just natural. I do have that background. I feel like if the situation calls for it, I certainly can help."

Roseman adroitly sidestepped a question about the extent of his role in contract talks.

"I'll be talking to agents because there are players involved. You want to talk about players, the talent level of players, and you want to have a good relationship with agents," he said. "I know a lot of them, so I think it's only natural I'll be talking to agents."

Roseman and the Eagles head to the combine with the NFL a little more than a week away from the start of what seems certain to be its first uncapped year since 1993. Much of the focus here is the college players, especially the interviews, as teams prepare for the April 22-24 NFL draft. The other part is free agency, which starts with the new league year March 5. The agents are in town - they meet every year on Friday at the combine - but of course, no one talks to an agent about a potential free-agent client until March 5 (roll eyes here).

As you've probably heard by now, free agency is different this year because of the expiring collective-bargaining agreement. Players with 4 years service, who would have been unrestricted, now are restricted, until they have 6 years service. Nobody even tried to sign a restricted free agent last year, but with more than 200 players added to the RFA list, that might not be the case this time.

Roseman said the problem right now is determining the level at which an RFA will be tendered - setting the required compensation, if his current team decides not to match an offer.

"With the restricted free agents this year, you have to go and research those guys . . . but until you know what they're tendered at, it's hard to figure out what the compensation level is going to be on all of them. You have to circle back, which we haven't done in the past. Usually at this point we're done with [planning for] free agency, we have a plan in place, we kind of know what we're going to do.

"It may be a case where a guy you thought was a pretty good player, maybe you'd give up a [midlevel] draft pick, well now a team tenders him at a first or second, so that's kind of off the table," he said.

Then, of course, there is the question of the uncapped year, and what that means for free-agent spending, restricted or unrestricted. Just because there's no cap, that doesn't mean the Eagles suddenly have an extra $30 million available to spend. Or does it?

Roseman didn't want to talk specifics there.

"All the resources are available to us to improve the team," he said.

For more Eagles coverage and opinion, read the Daily News' Eagles blog, Eagletarian, at www.eagletarian.com.