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Eagles Need to Keep VP of Player Personnel Joe Douglas at All Costs With Jets Expressing Interest

By Scott Rogust

Philadelphia Eagles v Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles v Washington Redskins / Scott Taetsch

Following the NFL Draft, news has been rather slow in football, but the New York Jets changed all of that when they fired general manager Mike Maccagnan on Wednesday.

The move was made at a strange time, and saw head coach Adam Gase named as the interim general manager. One of the names that has been brought up as Maccagnan's replacement is Joe Douglas, who is the vice president of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles. Douglas has a longstanding relationship with Gase dating back to their time with the Chicago Bears, and his track record makes him the proverbial favorite for the Jets gig.

If that's the case, the Eagles have to do everything to keep Douglas at all costs.

While executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman is viewed as the savior of the Eagles franchise after their Super Bowl LII victory, many forget how important Douglas is to the organization. Douglas, a longtime scout for the Baltimore Ravens, was brought in to help soften the skepticism of the Roseman hiring.

Douglas played a pivotal role in building that Super Bowl-winning squad, as he brought in Derek Barnett and Corey Clement, both of whom had huge performances against the New England Patriots. In 2018, he added to his strong drafting history by trading up for tight end Dallas Goedert, who was viewed by many experts as one of the biggest steals.

The consensus around the NFL is that Douglas is a "general manager-in-waiting" and teams will certainly line up to attempt to pry him out of Philadelphia. That's what the Jets are trying to do, but it's unknown if Douglas will accept the position, especially considering the organization's long history of ineptitude.

Philadelphia would have the advantage, as they are one of the most well-run organizations in the NFL. Not to mention, Douglas wouldn't have the caveat of bringing his own head coach to New York.

Those facts alone could help the Eagles keep Douglas in Philadelphia for at least another year, before a more enticing offer hits his desk.