Eagles Wake-Up Call: Roseman’s Unclear Role

Howie Roseman. (Jeff Fusco)

Midway through Doug Pederson’s introductory press conference on Tuesday, many media members broke out in laughter.

Pederson, after being asked who has the final say in the team’s new power structure over the 53-man and 90-man rosters, had just finished talking about the “collaborative effort” between himself, Howie Roseman and Tom Donahoe.

But when pressed about who breaks a tie, he paused for a few seconds, stared at the reporter, and then turned and pointed to Jeffrey Lurie. The Eagles owner, who stood several feet away to Pederson’s right, laughed and raised his hand.

“You heard Mr. Lurie say that he has the final say in most situations, but I think we have the best team here to get the players in,” Pederson said later. “He’s brought good players here. There’s no question about that. We’ve just got to get back on the same page, and work together in that area.”

But the smiles, including the one on Lurie’s face, didn’t last long. Although Roseman unexpectedly spoke with the media after the press conference, he hadn’t talked publicly since 2014, and it was unclear whether he would be available on Tuesday.

Lurie dodged questions about Roseman the day after he fired Chip Kelly as well, so the media repackaged the same question to try to elicit a clear response: What, exactly, is Roseman’s role now?

“Well, I’ll preface the questions by saying we’re about to do a search for a player personnel head,” Lurie said after the first Roseman question. “That will really be an important search that we are all participating in, starting this week.

“Given that search and given the competitive nature of that search, what I’d like to do is really talk to you more about structure and the exact nature of those once the search is over, because I don’t want to sort of telegraph anything we’re doing.”

But with his comments on the new “player personnel head” came more questions about Roseman.

Will he report to Howie?

“All questions of structure will be determined after the search is complete.”

So you haven’t made a decision?

“Can’t reveal any decision on that because it would impact our ability to find the right people that we have designated in the search.”

Will he have the final say during the draft?

“You’re going into questions that we will answer after the search.”

Near the end, Lurie was once again asked about who had the final say over the draft and free agency, but the Eagles owner demurred one last time.

“It doesn’t quite ever work out that way; it’s very collaborative,” he said. “But trust me, as soon as we finish this search, accountability will be 100 percent.”

WHAT YOU MISSED

Doug Pederson made it clear Tuesday that he feels Sam Bradford can fit in his offense.

“I had no idea what was going to go.” Howie Roseman speaks on failure and learning.

Pederson touches on his clock management with the Chiefs, and his coaching staff.

A blow-by-blow recap of Pederson’s introductory press conference Tuesday.

Former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz is the Eagles’ new defensive coordinator.

“When you hear Frank Reich, one word comes to mind: comeback.” What they’re saying.

A briefing on Schwartz’s track record and defensive philosophy.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Eagles will hire former Browns OC John DeFilippo as QB coach, sources tell me and @PSchrags. From Manziel to Bradford (maybe).

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 20, 2016

In Doug Pederson, writes Marcus Hayes, the Eagles and Jeffrey Lurie got the feel-good coach they were looking for.

There was a happy, touchy-feely vibe at the NovaCare Center auditorium, packed as much with the franchise’s support staff as with press. They beamed as Doug took office. Many were around in 1999, when he was the starting quarterback at the very beginning of the team’s rise to its greatest era under Pederson mentor Andy Reid.

Pederson has only seven years of NFL coaching experience, the last three as a coordinator. Andy Reid, who, both in Philadelphia and Kansas City, is control-freaky about his offense. Pederson admitted Tuesday that he only began calling plays on a consistent basis 3 months ago, and then only in the second halves of games. Granted, it was against the Steelers, the Chiefs win that sent them on an 11-game winning streak that ended Saturday with a loss in the Divisonal game at New England.

Jim Schwartz wouldn’t commit to a 4-3 defensive scheme, writes Dave Zangaro, but he made it clear he wants to attack.

“Scheme-wise, I don’t think I’ve ever labeled myself as a ‘scheme guy,’” Schwartz said. “I’m a system guy, you’d say. And system is more a way of operating. I think the guiding principle of any system I’ve ever run is let the guys do what they do best. Whatever that means, whether it’s 4-3, whether it’s 3-4.”

In the past, Schwartz has run a 4-3 scheme. That sometimes included using the wide-9, which gained infamy in Philadelphia under former defensive line coach Jim Washburn.

Schwartz said the most important aspect to his defensive philosophy is the ability to generate pass-rush without the need to constantly blitz. He said that ability is what gives him an advantage as a defensive play-caller.

COMING UP

We’ll have much more from yesterday’s media availability, including a Doug Pederson All-22 and a Jim Schwartz report.