Over the course of his career, Philadelphia Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman has mastered the art of the quick rebuild. We witnessed Roseman work his magic after the Chip Kelly era ended in disappointment, with his decision making and roster management delivering the city its first Super Bowl championship and a run of three straight postseason appearances.

The degree of difficulty, however, was considerably higher after the 2020 season concluded with the Eagles out of the playoff mix. Carson Wentz was a shell of the MVP candidate who guided the team through most of its magical 2017 campaign, and the franchise quarterback no longer wanted to be a part of the franchise. Meanwhile, owner Jeffrey Lurie surprisingly decided to dismiss Doug Pederson, the head coach who had finally secured that elusive Lombardi Trophy for Lurie and the organization.

With his two foundational pillars no longer available, Roseman worked assiduously to reconstruct the Eagles. After an exhaustive search, the front office selected Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni as Pederson’s successor. No other organization seeking a head coach in that critical offseason interviewed the young coordinator the Eagles selected to lead them. Sirianni had no experience calling plays and even less leading a locker room. His introductory press conference was not a model of eloquence, and it seemed the new man in charge was overwhelmed by his new responsibilities. The narrative of a coach in over his head took shape before Sirianni patrolled the sidelines for his first game.

A head coach now identified, Roseman next made the painful decision to move Carson Wentz. Wentz was Howie’s guy, the gunslinger from FCS North Dakota State that he mortgaged major draft assets to take in 2016. In 2019, Roseman had negotiated a huge extension with Wentz that should have kept the quarterback in Philadelphia through 2024. But Wentz wanted out, and the prospect of a new head coach and a fresh start was not enough to appease him.

Dealing Wentz to Indianapolis netted Roseman a third round pick and a conditional selection that would turn into a first rounder in 2021. For a disgruntled player who didn’t want to be in Philadelphia anymore, the return was a coup. It came with a significant price nonetheless: an astronomical $33.8 million dead cap hit.


The financial constraints did not leave the Eagles with many options behind center. So they rolled the dice with Jalen Hurts, their second round draft pick in 2020 who was chosen originally as insurance in the event of a Wentz injury. Hurts was viewed as a limited pocket passer and a developmental prospect who didn’t even crack analyst Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterbacks list ahead of the 2021 season:

 

Hamstrung by a roster in flux, tight cap space, and a quarterback and head coach clouded by question marks, the Eagles nevertheless plowed ahead into the 2021 season. It was an up-and-down year, but the team found its way back to the postseason on the strength of solid offensive line play and a generous schedule. Hurts took some strides as well, but he appeared overmatched in the Eagles’ playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Buoyed by their unexpected success in 2021, the Eagles headed into this season with heightened expectations. Freed from the shackles of Wentz’s cap burden and taking full advantage of a rookie contract at the most important position on the team, Roseman bolstered multiple areas of weakness. The secondary welcomed reinforcements C.J. Gardner-Johnson and James Bradberry to join Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, and Marcus Epps. Linebacker and tackling machine Kyzir White arrived on a one-year deal. Roseman brought aboard pass rushing specialist and Temple alum Haason Reddick to buttress the edge rush. The vanilla schemes that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon implemented in his first year to cover for personnel deficiencies could be discarded in favor of the more sophisticated approach he prefers.

Perhaps the biggest addition of all was A.J. Brown, standout receiver formerly of the Tennessee Titans. The Titans shipped Brown to Philadelphia after failing to come to terms on a new contract. The Eagles had the cap space and the draft picks to land Brown, who possessed the talent and resume to fill the role that J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor were unable to occupy. Paired with the talented DeVonta Smith, Brown figured to be the game breaker the Eagles were searching for to add another dimension to their offensive attack.

It all looked so promising, at least on paper. Yet we had been here before in Philadelphia. Those of us cursed with the memory of the 2011 team recalled Vince Young and the “Dream Team” that placed the organization in a downward spiral and seemed to spell the end for Andy Reid and Joe Banner. You don’t get any banners for winning the offseason.

Still, something strange has sprung up in Philly’s soil of cynicism: hope. This Eagles team is simply built differently. The “dawg mentality” culture Sirianni imported from Indianapolis has taken root at One Novacare Way. Hurts, whose “rent is due every day” mantra pairs well with Sirianni’s message, has backed up his words with substantive action. The quarterback’s footwork, vision, accuracy, arm strength, and execution of the offense have all improved immeasurably since he entered the league. Hurts’ work ethic and desire to master his craft have also bridged whatever talent gap might have existed with his peers.

The victories this fall have been alternately convincing and competitive, with a little bit of fortune included for good measure. At times, both the defense and offense have dominated, though each unit has also struggled to piece together a full 60-minute effort. The Eagles were lucky to escape the desert with a win over the Cardinals last week, for example, but they also made timely plays to take charge of their fate. Chief among them was a critical 3rd and 11 conversion in which Hurts hung in the pocket and found tight end Dallas Goedert in the middle of the field for a first down that kept the decisive drive alive.

Against the Cowboys Sunday night, the Eagles once again made their own luck. Dallas, storming back from a 20-0 deficit to pull within three points, had the Birds on the ropes after two touchdown drives to start the second half. The Cowboys cranked up their rushing attack while deploying some creative bootlegs for Cooper Rush, who struggled as a passer through most of the first half.

The Eagles needed a second-half touchdown, which they have not produced in the early part of the season. Hurts and company answered the bell with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that effectively ended Dallas’ comeback bid. Featuring 10 runs and 3 passes, the attack so frustrated the vaunted Cowboys defense that star cornerback Trevon Diggs slammed his helmet in disgust after Smith caught the touchdown pass that capped the effort.

It’s been that kind of a season for the Eagles so far. The breaks have disproportionately gone their way, but it hasn’t been a completely charmed existence. Right tackle and offensive line anchor Lane Johnson left the Sunday night contest early with a concussion, and it was no coincidence the Cowboys began their push shortly thereafter. Reserve tackle Jack Driscoll struggled to contain Dallas’ Micah Parsons, but the recommitment to the run in the 4th quarter allowed Driscoll to settle in and manage the task.

As the campaign continues, the Eagles will need to rely on their depth to maintain their place at the top of the NFC heap. It won’t be easy, but this is a team led by a coach and quarterback who have worked hard to earn the praise they’ll get today from yesterday’s detractors. Given the depth Roseman has built into the roster, the sky is the limit for this Eagles team.

The early portion of the season hasn’t always been pretty, but it has been perfect. And 6-0 is all that matters as the Birds head into the bye week.