According to Geoff Mosher of Eagles Scouting Nest, the Philadelphia Eagles have stopped searching for a personnel chief and won't resume their search until after the NFL Draft concludes on May 2nd.
The Eagles have tabled their search for a personnel chief and aren’t expected to hire until after the NFL draft, according to several league sources familiar with the situation.
The Eagles, who have no scouting chief after firing coach Chip Kelly and top personnel executive Ed Marynowitz, are looking for a high-ranking senior executive to lead the scouting department and determine the fate of current scouts, per sources, but they opened their search at a time when NFL teams are knee deep in the pre-draft process and would be reluctant to allow a top personnel executive to leave.
Teams don’t normally allow an experienced, senior executive to walk out their doors about one month from free agency and less than three months from the draft.
What Mosher, and most, are suggesting is that the Eagles made a mistake in parting with Marynowitz when they fired Kelly. While they may struggle, especially given their current front-office structure, to improve upon Marynowitz, you can make a case that he couldn't remain in the organization for the long-term given his ties to Kelly. Some would argue that, but a case could be at least made.
Most believe that if the team was prepared to fire Marynowitz, there was a more proper way to do it. Doing so after the season, with no clear succession plan, leaves the team drastically undermanned heading into what will be a very important NFL Draft. If the team planned to fire him, they could have done so after the draft.
Whether you support Howie Roseman, loathe him or fall somewhere in between, no executive can lead a successful organization without being able to delegate some work to those that he trusts around him. Especially when draft prospects that span across the country, Roseman simply can't be everywhere.
What this news also means is that when the legal tampering window opens up on March 7th and when teams can begin finalizing free-agent deals on March 15th, the Eagles will also be working with a very undermanned front-office. And it isn't as though draft preparation stops during that period.
Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) is an editorial assistant for Eagledelphia.com.
