Howie Roseman fears not the alien land across the bridge of Unknown Fortune.
The Philadelphia Eagles general manager continued his wheeling-and-dealing ways, insistent on making his team better in the now, not worrying about what may come down the road.
Following Tuesday's trade of a third-round pick for receiver Golden Tate, Roseman had a clear message: Winning today is all that matters.
"The message to our fans, to our players, to our coaches, to everyone in this organization is that our foot is always going to be on the gas," Roseman said, via the team's official website. "We're always trying to win, we're always going to try to put our best foot forward, and what we can do now is try to do that with this season and this moment and that's what we're going to do. That's our responsibility.
"He fits what we do offensively, fits what we do from a character perspective. I can't wait to get him in here and for everyone in Philly to see what we're getting."
Since returning from his Chip Kelly-induced sabbatical, Roseman has been the most aggressive, calculated, fearless general manager in the NFL. Last season, that mentality earned the Philadelphia Eagles their first Super Bowl ring. He's out to get a second.
Adding a YAC champion like Tate is the type of move that can have a ripple effect on the entire offense. It gives Carson Wentz the chain-moving, reliable target the offense has missed alongside Alshon Jeffrey. It allows Nelson Agholor to slide into a role as a mid-range threat. Tate's ability also can work as an extension of the run game on short screens and tosses.
The price of a third-round pick for a player eight games from free agency is nothing to sneeze at, sure, but owning two second-rounders next year likely softened the blow. And while the comp pick opportunity can be overblown (if Roseman stays aggressive in free agency that pick will be diminished), it must also be taken into consideration.
The most important point is that Roseman was willing to sell a lottery ticket for a known commodity that can help boost his team today.
There is no question the Eagles are better on Wednesday morning than they were Tuesday morning. The future will be dealt with later.
Right now, Roseman will mash his foot on the gas pedal and try to drive his team to another Super Bowl. That's all any fan could ask for.
