March 24, 2015
@Eaglesinsider/Twitter
Jeffrey Lurie answered questions for about 40 minutes Tuesday from the NFL's Annual Meeting in Phoenix.
After months of silence in the wake of a major front office shakeup, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie spoke to reporters at the owners meetings in Arizona for approximately 40 minutes. Here were some of the highlights:
• Lurie said that the front office moves were his call. “You have to take chances to be great," said Lurie. "I am not interested in being predictable. Do you want to take upside gambles or not? You have to make that decision.”
• Lurie believes in Chip Kelly, and wanted to give him full control in order to accomplish his vision. "Chip had a vision of how we could get from good to great. It was a sound vision. He's a bright guy. He’s all about winning football.
“Its about maximizing Chip. He thought he could be maximized best with a senior personell exec that was of his choosing."
• Lurie rightfully understands that quarterbacks are kind of important, and when you have one, it makes roster building a lot easier. “There is no perfect structure unless you have a Hall of Fame QB … then you can put any structure around them. The best structure is a franchise QB. A franchise QB sets the ceiling for the team.”
• While Kelly clearly didn't want Howie Roseman to be his right-hand man, Lurie maintained the Roseman still plays an important role with the Eagles. “Howie is a very vital member of the organization. He’s a very sharp guy. Howie’s been great. He has been with us for 15-16 years … he has been selfless. He just wants to win. That’s all Chip wants to do. That’s all I want to do.”
• But... Howie isn't a "football guy. It was Chip’s requirement to have a football guy who he was comfortable working with day by day, minute by minute. “
• The Eagles' old regime was very high on Sam Bradford. “When Bradford was scouted out of college, we thought he was the best young QB we had seen since probably Peyton Manning.”
• Being a marginal playoff team every year isn't good enough. “Our whole way of thinking is not not be satisfied with 10-6, 10-6 every season. We want to go for it. And you have to take a risk to do that.”
• You can make a huge move to go up and get a quarterback, even if the cost is great, but you better not miss. “It’s great to mortgage the future for Peyton Manning, but not for Ryan Leaf.”
• It was difficult to trade LeSean McCoy, but you gotta do what you gotta do. “We went through a lot of changes via free agency and trades. It’s very, very difficult to trade players that you’re very, very fond of … it’s always better to allow those who are less emotionally connected to make those decisions. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to trade LeSean McCoy.”
• Kelly wants players who fit his system, not the other way around. “What we’re evolving into is a roster that fits much better into what he wants to accomplish schematically and in play style. He was very determined in how he wanted it to evolve. He said to get from good to great, we had to do some things”
• For example, Kelly prefers a one-cut north-south runner, not a make-you-miss style back like McCoy. “LeSean McCoy is a great running back, an all-time running back. To maximize his offense … Chip always liked the one-cut runner.”
• Chip is being advised on salary cap matters. “Our whole organizations manages the cap. This is not just on Chip.”
• To get something you have to give up something. “You’re going to have to give up good talent and clear space to go out and get good talent.”
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