Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has placed himself in prime position to win this NFL award

Eagles fans once wanted to run general manager Howie Roseman out of town. His status had sunk so low that a fan, citing the GM's drafting ineptitude and habit of signing aging veterans who underperformed their contract, started a petition advocating for his firing.

Ahead of the 2021 season, an NFL poll asked 33 NFL agents to vote on who was the most untrustworthy general manager, and Roseman was voted first place, per The Athletic.

And to think this was the same Roseman who built a Super Bowl champion in 2017. Roseman won the PFWA's Executive of the Year award that year for his efforts in helping the Eagles win their first Super Bowl. 

Now Roseman, the man who built the Eagles' 2017 Super Bowl champions, is a prime contender for NFL Executive of the Year.

It appears Roseman has gotten out of his slump and is riding high after building the Eagles' current roster, which is an NFL-best 11-1.

Roseman's team-building ability shouldn't go unnoticed. The Eagles have won at least nine games in four of the last five seasons. They're always in contention for the NFC East and have ascended to new heights this year thanks to Roseman. 

Regardless of who wins Executive of the Year in 2022, Roseman deserves to be in serious contention for the honor. In the rest of this article, we'll analyze the deals he made and why he should be one of the favorites to take home Executive of the Year. 

The A.J. Brown trade

Star wide receiver A.J. Brown wanted to play for the Tennessee Titans his entire career. When contract negotiations hit a pitfall between both parties, Brown was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a first-round pick and a mid-round pick. Brown signed a four-year, $100 million contract with $57 million guaranteed with the Eagles right after the trade. 

Since teaming up with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, his good friend, Brown has taken his game to another level, hauling in 61 catches for 950 yards and nine touchdowns, per ESPN. Brown has been worth every penny. FiveThirtyEight recently ranked Brown as the second-best wide receiver in the league with a 90 overall, behind only Stefon Diggs. In other news, the Titans fired their general manager, Jon Robinson, a few days after Brown scored two touchdowns against his former team. Roseman gets an A+ for this trade. 

Trading for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

After contract talks broke down between Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and the Saints, he was shipped away to the Eagles, who gave up only a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-rounder to secure his talents. Gardner-Johnson played nickelback for the Saints and was moved to safety with the Eagles. He's thrived in his new role and is tied with Tariq Woolen for the league lead in interceptions at six, per NFL.com. Whether Gardner-Johnson signs with the Eagles or chooses more money elsewhere, he has earned a long-term deal.

Signing James Bradberry 

Roseman and the Eagles signed cornerback James Bradberry to a one-year, $10 million contract after he was cut by the Giants due to salary-cap issues. Simply put, the Giants couldn't afford his contract and had no choice but to cut him. The 2020 Pro Bowler has been a steal so far for the Eagles. A reliable player, he hasn't missed a game this season. He is second in the league in passes defended with 14 and has also intercepted three passes, per ESPN. He's formed a lethal 1-2 combination with Darius "Big Play" Slay, and the two have become one of the best cornerback tandems in the game. 

Signing Hassan Reddick 

Hassan Reddick, a Philly guy, signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Eagles this past offseason. A Temple alum, Reddick posted back-to-back seasons with at least 10 sacks or more before signing with the Eagles. With nine sacks on the year so far, he's on pace to have his third season with at least 10 sacks in a row. Reddick has morphed into a scary edge-rusher in the Eagles' defensive line rotation that has wreaked havoc all season. His underrated coverage skills and run-stuffing ability are just a bonus. This signing has worked out for both parties.

The 2022 NFL Draft Class

Roseman needed a good draft class to calm the criticism. He got it in 2022. Jordan Davis, the Eagles' first-round selection out of Georgia, looks like he's going to be the starting nose tackle for the foreseeable future. They drafted center Jason Kelce's alleged replacement in the second round, Nebraska's Cam Jurgens. They drafted Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean, who led the Bulldogs to a national championship in 2021. The undersized linebacker has been used sparingly but has huge upside. And finally, there is Grant Calcaterra. The tight end out of SMU has hauled in just three catches for 57 yards. However, he has become a serviceable run-blocker and stepped up when Dallas Goedert got injured against the Commanders in Philly's only loss of the season.