Last month, Eagles G.M. Howie Roseman described the team’s efforts to keep receiver Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin in light of DeSean Jackson’s eight-figure cap number as “complicated.”
The ultimate objective was much simpler: The Eagles want to be like the Broncos.
“When you look at how many offensive plays that you have over the course of the season, there’s a lot of opportunities to spread the ball around, get people involved,” Roseman said in connection with the announcement of Maclin’s new deal, via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com. “I don’t think you have to look further than when you look at the Denver Broncos and how many options they have in their passing game and how big of an advantage that is when you have guys all around the field and you can get different personnel groups and that’s what we’re looking to do. We’re looking to be an explosive, dynamic offense and when you talk about the skills that he has, Jeremy, certainly he adds to that group.”
The Eagles had a front-row seat for one of Denver’s three 50-plus point games last season, a 52-20 win over Philly.
Of course, offense is only part of the equation. The defense needs attention, too. After all, the team that outscored the Eagles by 32 points managed only eight in a 35-point drubbing by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.
And the Eagles face the Seahawks during the 2014 regular season. Along with the rest of the NFC West.