Howie Roseman is in Alabama this week, taking in the Senior Bowl practices ahead of this weekend's game. He's not the GM of the Philadelphia Eagles, but it's become pretty clear by the recent extensions handed to Zach Ertz and Brent Celek even while the Eagles continue their search for a so called "personnel man" that Roseman's in control of the franchise at this point. And while that may be cause for consternation for plenty of Eagles fans who all-too-well remember Roseman's spotty record, it seems to be yielding positive results where the homegrown Philly talent is concerned. The extensions handed to former Eagles draft picks this offseason likely won't end with Ertz and Celek, as reports suggest that Vinny Curry, Fletcher Cox and Lane Johnson are all working toward new deals as well.
"This shouldn't come as a big surprise, but Vinny Curry is the Eagles' top immediate priority to get signed to a new contract among their free agent crop, per a source," Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice reported Tuesday.
Curry, of course, is a former second-round draft pick - by Roseman - who was expected to shine in Philly's attacking 4-3 defense under Andy Reid. Unfortunately, Reid was jettisoned and Curry packed on pounds to carve out a role as a pass-rushing 3-4 defensive end under Billy Davis. Curry collected just 31 tackles over the last two seasons, but he also managed 12.5 sacks, even while playing out of place and seeing sparing snaps.
The change to Jim Schwartz's 4-3 is expected to be a massive boon for Curry's NFL career and, now, his pockets.
Cox was drafted in the first-round of 2012, the same draft that netted Curry, and has blossomed into one of the league's premier interior defensive linemen. This season he posted career marks in tackles (71), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (3). Amazingly, he put these stats together despite playing 3-4 defensive end in a two-gap scheme, meaning his role was to read and react instead of penetrating off the snap.
According to Ed Kracz of The Intelligencer, the Eagles have begun negotiations with Cox, who made his first Pro Bowl this season, in order to ensure that he doesn't hit the open market after next year.
The freedom to attack - something Cox, like Curry, was drafted to do - that will be afforded Cox in Schwartz's scheme could mean yet another career year in what will, after the Eagles picked up his 2016 option, amount to a second contract year for the mammoth defensive tackle.
As for Johnson, the first pick of the Chip Kelly era, Kracz indicated that he "could have a contract extension in place by the end of the week."
Johnson hasn't yet established himself as an elite tackle, but playing in Kelly's scheme it's difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison on how he stacks up to the rest of the league. Johnson did perform well when moved to the left side in place of an injured Jason Peters this season, perhaps proving to the team that he can take over that spot once Peters, the future Hall of Famer, retires.
