How do the new Eagles fit into the big picture?

The thinking for the Eagles as they moved through the first few weeks of free agency was two-tiered: One, they would try to retain as many of their own players as possible, and they achieved a strong list of core standouts: center Jason Kelce, defensive end Brandon Graham, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay, and running back Boston Scott. Two, they would be selective with the resources available and target players interested in one-year options, players looking to bet on themselves and the winning environment the Eagles provide.

That is how it has played out to date. We don’t know where, exactly, it’s going from here – the NFL Draft is, ahem, huge and looming on April 27 – but the Eagles feel they’ve had success targeting players who have shown they are worth the investment that, hopefully, results in a positive return. “Lottery tickets,” Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman calls them.

“When you’re looking at these one-year guys, you want some high-upside guys, guys who have traits in their bodies, guys who we had a liking for at some point in time,” Roseman said. “They’re young guys who have a lot of upside. I think we like these kind of high-upside-guys, lottery tickets with the understanding that they’ve got to prove it. They have a chip on their shoulder. They have talent. It hasn’t worked out perfectly where they are and if you can hit on some of those guys, it’s mutually beneficial.”