The Eagles have a model for roster building, and the 2023 NFL draft has caused many discussions regarding what Howie Roseman should do with his Super Bowl roster.
Philadelphia has the No. 10 and No. 30 overall picks in the first round, and the expectation is that the Birds will build from the inside out.
Howie Roseman has thrived on the principles of a continuous reload in the trenches while constantly restocking on pass rushers and talent at the cornerback position.
The NFL’s top offense resides in Philadelphia, and some pundits believe Bijan Robinson or a game-changing slot receiver could take the Eagles’ offense to another level.
Running backs in the NFL have a particular shelf life.
The idea is that passing on 8-11 years of productivity from an offensive or defensive tackle or edge rusher isn’t prudent or drafting for value.
ESPN’s Matt Miller and Jason Reid attempted to make sense of NFL teams juggling the decision to draft to fill a considerable team need or pick based on “best player available.”
Should Philadelphia address a need without reaching, or should a Super Bowl roster add someone like Bijan Robinson or another explosive offensive player on a team ready-made to win now?
ESPN explored both sides of the table for all 31 first-round picks, with Miller named a prospect who would best fill every team’s most significant need. Reid details an option to give each team maximum value and satisfy a “best player available” approach.
Here’s a breakdown of the Eagles’ problem and what could happen.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from NO)
The tenth overall pick will raise the most critical question regarding Philadelphia’s philosophy and Howie Roseman’s thought process on retooling the roster with a franchise quarterback on a massive long-term deal.
Kancey at No. 10 overall is probably too early. Still, it sticks with Philadelphia choosing to reload in the trenches after losing Javon Hargrave (49ers), Linval Joseph (free agent), and Ndamukong Suh (free agent).
Reid goes with the add a dynamic playmaker to an already potent offense approach, bypassing an edge rusher or interior lineman for the best wide receiver on the board. Smith-Njigba would be an immediate upgrade over Quez Watkins while giving Philadelphia a formidable quartet of wide receivers for Jalen Hurts and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson to build around.
Miller’s pick that fills a big need: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
After re-signing key veterans in free agency to keep most of the defense intact, the Eagles can start thinking about the future. Finding the next Fletcher Cox would be nice, but how about an impact three-down pass-rusher? Kancey is more likely to go later in Round 1 and is outside the top 20 on my board, but this is the No. 1 need in Philadelphia.
Reid’s pick that gets best value: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Imagine adding Smith-Njigba to an offense that already includes Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert? One of the top offenses in the league would be getting my top-ranked wideout in this class. We saw the Cowboys go “best player available” with receiver CeeDee Lamb in 2020, and that worked out well.
30. Philadelphia Eagles
At No. 30 overall, the duo has Philadelphia debating the running back position, with Miller believing Bijan Robinson is the pick if he’s on the board. Reid believes the best value pick would be Jahmyr Gibbs because of his true dual-threat abilities.
Robinson is the best player in the draft, and if he’s available, this is a non-discussion. Still, the inability to be comfortable selecting any running back in the first round is the crux of the value vs. need discussions and whether teams should approach the Rams’ motto of “F those picks” when trying to build a Super Bowl roster.
Miller’s pick that fills a big need: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
The Eagles have so few needs and checked off the biggest one at No. 10 with a defensive tackle. So why not running back? Rashaad Penny hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and Kenneth Gainwell is a role player. Robinson would solve the running back question for the next five years at a very inexpensive clip.
Reid’s pick that gets best value: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
It’s a nice coincidence that the top player still on my board also happens to be a running back, though it’s my RB2. Gibbs could be a big contributor in the passing game and use his big-play ability in the run game to be a real asset for a loaded Eagles offense.
Final analysis
Only Howie Roseman truly knows what value he puts on Bijan Robinson or any other explosive player, but if you can get a dynamic, game-changing running back on a five-year rookie deal, then chasing multiple Super Bowl appearances should outweigh the value of having a solid edge rusher on the roster for eight years, or three years more than all-world running back.
One way to avoid any anxiety over drafting a running back early would be to hit on most or all of your mid to late-round draft picks while correctly evaluating a stocked undrafted free-agent class.
