Questioning Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman's decision is rarely going to end well. While the front office isn't perfect, it is as impressive a group as one will find around the NFL. With that said, Philly fans have reason to wonder if the franchise made the right decision trading away Super Bowl champion Thomas Booker IV.
Sending Booker to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for defensive back Jakorian Bennett appeared to signal the Eagles didn't expect the 25-year-old DL to make the final roster this time around. It's a decision that obviously aged poorly in Week 1, with Jalen Carter being thrown out moments into the game. Meanwhile, it hasn't taken long for experts to gush over the impact Booker made in his Raiders debut.
Former Eagles Defender Thomas Booker Leaves Fans Questioning Front Office Decisions After Debut
NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger tweeted out a highlight of Booker's Las Vegas debut, pointing out the consistent impact of the defender. It was a great start and pivotal to the Raiders' offense, shutting down the New England Patriots' offense and consistently making life hard on quarterback Drake Maye. The second-year QB looked consistently anxious and sailed throws early from the pocket.
When the final whistle sounded, the ex-Eagles defender finished with an overall defense grade of 63.5, which ranked 45th-best among 134 interior defenders on Pro Football Focus. His versatility was on display as he recorded a solo tackle and a combined effort, as well as a broken-up pass.
Booker helped contribute to this, turning up the sense of urgency and helping stuff the run, forcing all the pressure on the shoulders of Maye to make plays. With this in mind, it is easy to wonder if the Eagles made the right decision parting ways with the defender. This is the exact type of impact that the Philly defense badly needed when Carter was tossed from the game. Jordan Davis had a few great moments, but there is no replacing the star defender.
Having the former Houston draft pick still on the roster at least would've handed the Eagles a great rotational option. The counter to this is that it is only Week 1, and an overreaction is never a wise decision. Giving Carter time to return to the lineup and judging the defensive line after this is the right approach.
Eagles' fans are going to have a great chance to do this as Philadelphia travels to Arrowhead Stadium this week for a Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. There is zero question that the defensive line is going to be tested, and fans will have another chance to decide if Booker's presence is truly missed.
For now, Eagles fans should take a breath and realize one game is an incredibly small sample size. Philly moved on from Booker for a reason, and doubting Roseman is a rough business. Still, it is nice to see the Super Bowl Champion off to a nice start.