Howie Roseman has done his job.
The Eagles GM has taken the team that went 7-9 a season ago and has plugged the roster's holes with veterans on short-term contracts and younger players with elite potential.
It has been a busy few months, but the time has come for the GM to hand these new players over to his coach and see what he can do with them.
By no means is Doug Pederson coaching to save his job in 2017. Unless the Eagles finish the season 4-12 with a plethora of issues in the locker room, Pederson will be back in 2018 to lead Carson Wentz and the rest of his troops.
However, at this point, it is up to Pederson and the rest of this coaching staff to put together a game plan that makes the Eagles better than they were in 2016.
Simply put, there are no more huge flaws with this roster right now. Certainly things can change and maybe some players/draft picks won't exactly pan out, but it's hard to argue the Eagles aren't vastly improved from where they were just a few months ago.
In his sophomore season, Wentz should be ready to take the reigns of the offense and the playbook should be wide open for the former second-overall draft pick. Especially with Alshon Jeffery and a better cast of receivers in the fold, Pederson should be able to confidently call down-field passes, simply because Dorial Green-Beckham or Bryce Treggs or Paul Watford won't be on the receiving end of them.
With yesterday's addition of LeGarrette Blount, there are no egregious holes to be used as excuses. There's talent along the offensive line, a solid committee of running backs and good receivers flanking a budding franchise quarterback.
If Pederson is unable to put together a solid gameplan around this group of players on a weekly basis, the Eagles front office would have to have serious doubts about his future heading into 2018.
Only six Super-Bowl-winning coaches have missed the playoffs and finished their first two seasons under .500, the last of whom, Dick Vermeil, went on to win the Lombardi Trophy in his third season as head coach of the St. Louis Rams.
However, not only is Pederson competing with those coaching greats, but Eagles' history is against him as well. If the Eagles are unable to reach the postseason in 2017, Pederson will become the first Eagles' head coach to miss the playoffs in his first two seasons since Marion Campbell in 1983 and 1984. That's a stretch of five coaches, from Buddy Ryan to Chip Kelly, that have all experienced some amount of success early in their career.
Once again, it will take a lot for Pederson to lose his job this year, but it's hard to say there isn't any pressure on the second-year coach. In his first year, there were a lot of issues and excuses he could hide behind. No more.
With talent across the board at almost every position, especially on offense, it is time for Pederson to show the league what he is capable of.
