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Can Roseman bring in a shutdown cornerback?

There was the thrill of Howie Roseman's trading away the underperforming DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell, and Kiko Alonso on Monday, followed shortly thereafter by the agony of realizing the Eagles vice president of football operations would also be responsible for replacing those players.

Howie Roseman.
Howie Roseman.Read more(Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)

There was the thrill of Howie Roseman's trading away the underperforming DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell, and Kiko Alonso on Monday, followed shortly thereafter by the agony of realizing the Eagles vice president of football operations would also be responsible for replacing those players.

While the compensation for Murray, who was dealt to the Titans, and Maxwell and Alonso, who were traded to the Dolphins, won't likely be announced until Wednesday, the Eagles rid themselves of two overpaid free agents and the injury-prone return on the LeSean McCoy trade. The draft picks they will receive may only be gravy.

But the hosannas for Howie should end there, at the least, until he finds a No. 1-caliber running back, a starting left cornerback, and a starting strong-side linebacker. The Eagles may already have options on their roster for those spots, but they don't have anyone who's an obvious replacement for Maxwell.

And cornerback, perhaps more than any other position, has been an Achilles' heel for Roseman since he became general manager in 2010. Even he probably would admit that his record, in both free agency and the draft, is checkered with more whiffs than hits.

Only once did Roseman dig deep into the salary cap and sign one of the top free agents on the market. In the lockout-shortened 2011 offseason, the Eagles made Nnamdi Asomugha the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

Burned by that decision, Roseman has since acquired mid-tier free agents. In 2013, it was Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher. And a year later, it was Nolan Carroll, who will hit free agency at 4 p.m. Wednesday if he can't come to an agreement with the Eagles.

Roseman, who returned to personnel power this offseason after a one-year hiatus, continued the trend on Tuesday when the Eagles signed Leodis McKelvin to a two-year, $6.2 million contract. The 30-year-old was released by the Bills on Friday and visited only the Eagles.

McKelvin had a solid, if not spectacular, eight seasons in Buffalo. Based on Roseman's previous bargain-basement cornerback signings, it would only make sense to question the merit of the acquisition. It wasn't as if other teams were lining up at the door of the 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback.

He wasn't brought in specifically to replace Maxwell. He said he was here to compete and will play anywhere the Eagles ask. McKelvin came, he said, because he was familiar with Jim Schwartz's scheme.

"It's basically going to be similar to the defense he ran when he was in Buffalo," McKelvin said.

McKevlin had arguably his best season playing under the new Eagles defensive coordinator. In only nine starts in 2014, McKelvin made 48 tackles and a career-high four interceptions. Clearly, Schwartz played a significant role in his coming to Philadelphia. Schwartz could have a positive influence on the Eagles' defensive evaluations.

The Eagles have looked into another former player of Schwartz's with the Bills - linebacker Nigel Bradham - according to NFL sources. The 26-year-old free-agent-to-be played the strong side in Schwartz' 4-3 and seemingly would take Alonso's place.

Defensive backs coach Cory Undlin, who was hired last offseason, also could help with cornerback evaluations. It's unclear what role Undlin had in personnel decisions before, but the Eagles appeared to have found potential in the draft with the selections of Eric Rowe (second round) and JaCorey Shepherd (sixth round).

Rowe finished last season as the starter opposite Maxwell when Carroll broke his ankle. He made some rookie mistakes but didn't seem overwhelmed. He is likely penciled in as one starter for 2016. Shepherd was on track to be the slot cornerback until he tore his anterior cruciate in training camp.

After Rowe and Shepherd are only Jaylen Watkins, Denzel Rice, Randall Evans, and Aaron Grymes. Roseman is obviously not finished addressing the position. Janoris Jenkins will be the highest-paid cornerback in free agency, and likely out of the Eagles' price range. Sean Smith may be too high-priced as well.

But there are other alternatives - mostly in the second- or third-tier range. Casey Hayward, Prince Amukamara, Patrick Robinson, Jeremy Lane, and Sterling Moore won't likely cost much, considering the Eagles' salary-cap situation, and would fit into Roseman's recent free-agency philosophy.

He would rather build through the draft, of course, but his cornerback selections haven't netted one outside starter. Roseman also hasn't expended anything higher than a third-round pick on the position. Curtis Marsh came in the third, Trevard Lindley, Brandon Boykin and Watkins in the fourth, and Jordan Poyer in the sixth.

Boykin was Roseman's best selection. He was a solid three-year slot before Chip Kelly traded him for a fifth-round pick last August. Boykin is also slated to hit free agency. He always wanted to be an outside corner. Maybe Roseman brings him back and gives him a shot.

The Eagles would prefer to go into the draft with penciled-in starters to avoid pushing for a need. They haven't selected a cornerback in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002. Maybe it's about time they did.

Can Roseman be entrusted to evaluate and select that cornerback? Based on his past, no. He has had what appears to be a solid start to the offseason by re-signing or extending five of the Eagles' own and finding takers for Murray, Maxwell, and Alonso. A year off and the new coaching staff could improve his personnel decisions.

But there's been too much agony in Roseman's evaluations. It's about time the Eagles experience the thrill of having a shutdown cornerback.

jmclane@phillynews.com

@Jeff_McLane