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There have been quiet rumblings all year about the structure of the Philadelphia Eagles front office. For example, does the general manager have final say on personnel? And how much influence does the head coach have on draft picks?
Publicly, there are no issues and everyone gets along swimmingly. Doug Pederson has gone on record several times saying he has weekly conversations with team owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman — all of them productive and collaborative, not confrontational or combative.
So it was interesting to hear Pederson bring up his relationship with Roseman during media availability on Monday afternoon. He didn’t say anything negative or controversial, but he inadvertently may have given credence to the fact there are certain lines drawn in the sand.
“I want to be a part of the solution. I want to be a part of the evaluation process,” Pederson told reporters on Monday. “I want to be a voice that’s heard, and I want to have that collaborative communication with Howie [Roseman] and his staff and be a part of that process. I don’t necessarily want to cross that line because it takes you away from doing your job as the head football coach. I like being on the football side of things as a former football player and obviously now a coach. That’s where my passion lies.”
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Eagles Coach Provides Quick Injury Updates
The Eagles have been watching players drop like flies all season so why would the pen-ultimate week be any different? The team entered Week 16 down four players — TE Richard Rodgers, CB Kevon Seymour, DE Josh Sweat, LB Duke Riley — and then watched All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox leave Sunday’s game after re-aggravating a neck stinger.
Making matters worse, the Eagles lost rookie linebacker Shaun Bradley to a stinger on Sunday and starting left tackle Jordan Mailata to a concussion on what appeared to be a dirty hit.
Then DeSean Jackson left the contest due to complications from a nagging foot injury. Some thought maybe the cocky receiver hurt himself while showboating after his 81-yard touchdown grab. Not the case.
“I don’t think he got hurt on that particular play,” Pederson said. “I do know that he got — the foot, the injury became more sore as the game wore on, and it just affected him more and more to the point where he couldn’t be himself so we had to keep him out.”
Pederson anticipates getting Riley (bicep) and Rodgers (ankle) back this week. Sweat and Seymour are out for the year while everyone else is day-to-day. The head coach is also “hopeful” on a return for rookie linebacker Davion Taylor this week against the Washington Football Team.
“But we’re going to battle through,” Pederson said. “We’re going to get these guys ready in practice and prepared for Washington.”
Let the Evaluation Process Begin (Maybe)
Philly might not have anything to play for in Week 17 — except for pride, of course — but the regular-season finale could be a tryout for some first-year players. It’s a last chance to make a good first impression, something they didn’t get to do without a preseason slate.
Pederson and his coaching staff will be using the game to evaluate the talent on the roster. It’s a chance to see if guys like Grayland Arnold, Michael Jacquet, Elijah Riley are in the long-term secondary plans. And the team can get a final look at their young receivers like Quez Watkins, John Hightower (if he’s active), Jalen Reagor.
Said Pederson: “As far as the young players go, the young players have been playing and we’ve had a chance to evaluate them here the last couple weeks, and we are going to continue to do that.”
But it won’t be at the expense of the aging veterans. Pederson wants to beat Washington.
“But at the same time, we got some veteran players that need to play,” the head coach said, “and we’re going into this week hopefully going in there and trying to win the game. That’s how we play.”
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