Eagles' Howie Roseman says personnel decisions won't be his alone

IN THE WAKE of Chip Kelly's dictatorship, Eagles chief Howie Roseman is painting a picture of collaborative cohesion.

Roseman hired Kelly in 2013, but after the 2014 season Kelly demanded control over player personnel and forced Roseman from the role. Kelly was fired in December and Roseman reascended. He has since overseen the hiring of coach Doug Pederson and his staff and reconstructed the front office.

Roseman might be in charge, but he wants everyone to know that he is not ignoring input. He has finalized deals in the past 10 days that will keep Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Brent Celek and, most recently, Vinny Curry in the fold. Roseman insists the strategy is a company-wide initiative.

"This isn't me. This is about our coaching staff, about our personnel staff, about the Philadelphia Eagles. This is about guys we've all discussed keeping here," Roseman said Wednesday. "As we build it . . . we're all in agreement that these are the right decisions."

Clearly, the Eagles' personnel cartel does not agree with the agents about the value of quarterback Sam Bradford or defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, whose status as franchise cornerstones will make their deals much more lucrative.

Like Curry before he signed, Bradford can become a free agent next month.

"We've talked to their representatives," Roseman said when asked about the status of negotiations.

Like Ertz and Johnson before they signed, Cox can become a free agent after next season.

"We want Fletcher Cox here for an extremely long time. These all don't happen as quickly as you like," Roseman said.

When reminded that Cox has tweeted that he, too, wants to get paid now, Roseman replied:

"The last person we're trying to play games with or be disrespectful to is Fletcher Cox. Fletcher Cox is always a priority to us."

Curry was, too, even though he has been the least used and least productive of them all. Curry, drafted in the second round in 2012, managed just 3 1/2 sacks in 2015, down from nine in 2014. His production dropped despite playing more - but even so, he played just 35 percent of the snaps. Roseman said he and the coaches consider Curry an underused, elite pass rusher, and consider him a bargain at $47.25 million, $23 million guaranteed, over five years, and is a homegrown, "known commodity" with rare abilities.

"The coaches want to make sure they have a bunch of fastballs . . . get pressure on the quarterback, who are versatile, who can rush inside and out. This time of year, to be able to keep a guy from free agency, when we understand that the market is going to be aggressive," Roseman said. "He's shown his ability not only to get pressure outside, but inside, rushing over guards. The versatility he's shown, that maybe we didn't know when we drafted him, has been tremendous."

Again, this isn't just Howie talking. According to Howie.

"When you look at what's important to us when you build this team - and that comes from the coaching staff - it's getting pressure on the quarterback and finding pass rushers, and how hard it is to find pass rushers in this league, especially proven pass rushers," Roseman said.

Then, refreshingly humble, Roseman continued:

"Do you replace him in the draft, which, I'm sure you guys will tell me, is not an exact science?"

That, of course, is a self-deprecating reference to the misses in recent drafts that Roseman helped run; particularly, first-rounders Danny Watkins and Marcus Smith.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie last month indicated that Roseman would have reinforcements in his personnel department by the time this year's draft happened but, predictably, teams have refused to part with their best evaluators on the eve of free agency and the draft.

"The nature of this time of year, teams aren't going to be so aligned with that," Roseman said.

It will be Roseman and personnel director Tom Donahoe who rank free agents and college prospects. Those rankings could impact negotiations with Bradford, Cox and other free-agent targets. The recent signings will not.

"We still have flexibility to sign other players," said Roseman, who delivered another line:

"I don't know that I've ever gotten that question in Philadelphia. Bizarre: 'Are we in cap trouble?' "

That, of course, is a nod toward the Eagles' reputation for thrift and their strategy of not spending to the salary-cap limit. It is a perception Roseman and Lurie despise.

Apparently, they despise the reputation of Roseman as dictator just as much.

hayesm@phillynews.com

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch

Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog