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| Howie doin? Photo: Philadelphia Eagles |
Defense. It's more than just what's around de pool. Many say defense wins championships in the NFL, and the Birds defense was huge in Super Bowl LIX. The Big game wasn't THAT long ago. It's only been a little over a month. But in that time the Birds D has changed dramatically. The D was Damn Distinctive but is now Diametrically Different. And those are all with capital D's, by the way. Definitely.
It was inevitable, right? Any time a team wins the Super Bowl, other teams will poach their free agents. Milton Williams became the highest paid player EVER in the history of the New England Patriots. This is a team that had Tom Brady and Gronk and won six Super Bowls...and Milton Williams set their salary record. I'll bet Brady finds that Deflating...also with a capital D.
Josh Sweat left town too. He must like birds, because he went from the Eagles to the Cardinals. Who will be after that? The Falcons? Ravens? Or maybe it's that a guy named Sweat obviously has to play in Arizona. That team in the dessert is still thirsting for a title. Will Sweat be the real deal for them, or just a mirage? Time will tell. There was also Isaiah Rodgers signing with the Vikings and Darius Slay signing with Pittsburgh.
But the shocker was CJGJ. The Eagles traded CJ Gardner-Johnson to the Texans for guard Kenyon Green. The teams also swapped draft picks. Green is the worst ranked guard in the league according to Pro Football Focus, while CJGJ played a big part in the Super Bowl LIX win.
Of course there was no way the Birds could keep all of these guys. The CJGJ deal was obviously a money thing. But while many on social media are questioning Howie Roseman, I'll quote that football scholar Aaron Rodgers..."R-E-L-A-X". I assure you, that's the ONLY time I will quote him. Usually I find what he says to be Discombobulating...also with a capital...well, you know by now.
We have rarely said this as Philly sports fans, but the GM deserves the benefit of the doubt. Howie Roseman has more than earned that. I may question him. You may question him. But at the same time you have to think...there is a method to his madness. There is some big picture thing he is going for that maybe we don't see. The dude knows what he is doing. I know the term "trust the process" has a negative connotation in this town, but this isn't the Sixers process. This is the team that won 2 Super Bowls in the last decade. I will trust THIS process. Actually, can Roseman run the Sixers too? He's got to be better than that fraud they have now doing player personnel.
There is one other thing to consider when it comes to the CJGJ deal. Kenyon Green may not be a good Guard now, but he was never coached by Jeff Stoutland. Stout brings things out of guys that they themselves probably didn't think they could do. If anyone can make this guy better, it's Jeff Stoutland.
Let this comfort you too. The Offense is still amazingly talented and very strong. They did lose Kenny Gainwell to the Steelers, and there are rumors the Birds are shopping Dallas Goedert around. But beyond that they are intact on that side of the ball. Jalen Hurts will still be behind a great offensive line, still be handing the ball to Saquon Barkley and still be passing to AJ Brown and Devonta Smith.
It's so hard to repeat as champions in the NFL. There is so much turnover season to season, especially on a championship team. But it's all part of the process. Trust it. This time you can.