By Max Harper
The Eagles and Chiefs met in February’s Super Bowl 57, with KC beating Philly.
But not in these GM rankings:
1. Howie Roseman, Eagles
It took the better part of two decades for Howie Roseman to make himself the center of the Eagles’ power structure, but his outlasting of Chip Kelly has led to the greatest heights in franchise history.
Roseman has hired two coaches since Kelly was fired. Both have reached the Super Bowl. Roseman’s 2017 roster was so good it beat Bill Belichick in the big game with a backup quarterback. Backup magic would prove to be something of a theme after Jalen Hurts progressed from “overdrafted No. 2” in 2020 to “best quarterback in the NFC” and Super Bowl starter two years later. 2022 was a testament to everything Roseman does well.
His big swings landed.
Hurts became a superstar and A.J. Brown became the long-sought No. 1 weapon. Roseman traded a first-rounder for Brown and still had a top-15 pick to spare.
Roseman’s talent accumulation also paid off in the form of unmatched star power. Last year’s Eagles had six All-Pros and eight Pro Bowlers, both tied for the league lead.
Whether it was trading for AJB, ponying up for Haason Reddick in free agency or plucking James Bradberry off the scrap heap in late May, Roseman turned over every stone. And he still ended up with a top-10 2023 selection even after reaching the Super Bowl.
In a league that can seem defined by randomness, Roseman tilts the odds in his favor by stockpiling high-end assets and trusting the process to result in a Lombardi every now and then. That might not be the stuff childhood dreams are made of, but it is a clinically successful way to approach modern football.
2. Andy Reid/Brett Veach, Chiefs
With Patrick Mahomes at their disposal, the Chiefs get to play a different game than everybody else. In an era where teams are trading their most valuable assets for offensive weapons — see A.J. Brown and Christian McCaffrey in last winter’s NFC Championship Game — the Chiefs traded away one of the very best in Tyreek Hill and it didn’t even matter. That’s a scary prospect for the rest of the league, but it is still something only made possible by Brett Veach and Andy Reid‘s elite drafting and adept hole plugging. Isiah Pacheco and CB Jaylen Watson were seventh-round picks last spring. They combined to play 57 snaps in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory. Mid-season trade acquisition Kadarius Toney scored a touchdown in that game. 2021 dumpster dive addition Jerick McKinnon found the end zone 10 times to help get them there. A move that didn’t pan out as expected? Trading a 2021 first-rounder for LT Orlando Brown. So thank goodness 2021 second-rounders C Creed Humphrey and LB Nick Bolton both hit. The Chiefs can’t punt left tackle and No. 1 receiver forever, but the combination of Mahomes’ presence and the front office’s successful crate digging is proving close to impossible to stop.
