Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman's moves this week signaled to the locker room that the Eagles wouldn't sit back and see how things play out down the stretch. Philly is all in.
Roseman bulked up the defensive line with the additions of Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph following the trade-deadline acquisition of edge rusher Robert Quinn. The additions help buffer the Eagles' biggest weakness heading toward the stretch run.
Message received.
"I hope it's a message to everybody in the locker room," corner Darius Slay said Thursday. "That's how it's supposed to be in the league. Everybody's not here just to be a participant. Everybody's trying to win a Super Bowl. Howie does a great job just making it known. Like, 'hey, this is what we're trying to do too.' He's won one before, so he's trying to get that confetti to fall on him again. I want it too."
The Eagles' run defense has struggled since rookie Jordan Davis went on injured reserve. Adding Suh and Joseph bolsters the interior defense, allowing a rotation to keep players fresh. In Monday night's loss to Washington, Philly's D was on the field for 81 plays and struggled to get off quick stops, earning just one three-and-out.
"I'm being real: We know our issues and it's OK," defensive end Brandon Graham said. "Right now, Jordan Davis hurt and Marlon (Tuipulotu) hurt and Fletch (Cox) and (Javon) Hargrave playing so many snaps with Milton (Williams), it's nice to get some experience in there. I know we are going for it, because we have the opportunity. Older guys, but they have some juice in them. It's sometimes good to hear what they have to say about what we're doing coming from the outside. I think everybody feels it. It's kind of like a perfect fit seeing Linval out there today."
Bulking up for a postseason run isn't always a given, even for contenders. Roseman usually prefers to roll over extra salary cap space to the next season to help with offseason construction. Adding Suh and Joseph will take a chunk out of that plan, a clear indicator that the Eagles are all in on ending the season under confetti once again.
