Why Howie Roseman is OK that the 1st-round pick in the A.J. deal is in 2028

Why Howie Roseman is OK that the 1st-round pick in the A.J. deal is in 2028 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2028 NFL draft is 23 months away, and that’s a long time to wait for the A.J. Brown trade to pay dividends.

But in Howie Roseman’s mind, a 1st-round pick is a 1st-round pick, no matter when it’s for.

When you’re GM for life and you’ve built three Super Bowl rosters and won two Lombardi Trophies and you already have a loaded roster moving forward, you can afford to play the long game.

If there’s one thing about the Brown trade that might seem outwardly frustrating it’s the fact that the 1st-round pick the Eagles got from the Patriots is in 2028.

Howie can wait. And it’s not like anybody was offering a 2027 1st-round pick, so there weren’t a ton of options.

And a 1st-round pick in 2028 is much more valuable than a 2nd-round pick in 2027.

“It’s hard to get 1st-round picks,” Roseman said Monday after shipping Brown to the Patriots.  

Roseman said if the Eagles made a deal with the Patriots before the draft, not only would the cap implications have been more damaging, they would have also been locked into No. 31.

By acquiring a later pick, there’s a chance it will be higher. If the Patriots have a mediocre 2027, they could wind up with a pick in the middle of the first round.

It’s two years off, but the Eagles will be OK till then.

“I think for us to take a 2026 pick and you know, that’s a late 1st-round pick and obviously also have to deal with the cap consequences that come with making a trade prior to June 1,” Roseman said Thursday afternoon, after finally finalizing the trade. 

“It made some sense for us to look at at future picks. You know, we do scout future drafts not just the ‘26 draft but also ’27, ‘28. And I think for us, you know, we’ve always been in the mindset of a pick is a pick. 

“A 1st-round pick is a 1st-round pick. It doesn’t matter. The team’s still going to be playing football in 2028. And we did that with Hassan (Reddick), with the Jets, where we took a 3rd-round pick two years later (which became 2026 pick Markel Bell) because it was really important for us to get the right value. 

“And I think from our perspective, getting a 1st-round pick for our team, having two 1st-round picks in 2028, is a huge, huge part of this move. You know, I think that when you look at that and obviously the options of what you’re able to do with having multiple first round picks, it’s a huge game changer.”

The Eagles also acquired a 5th-round pick in next year’s draft from the Patriots, and it’s important to remember that even though those are future picks, the Eagles already own those assets, so Roseman could turn them into better or earlier picks. You know how Howie can’t sit still during the draft and is always making trades. 

This all plays into the Eagles’ organization-wide philosophy that building through the draft is the best way to build a winning team. You’re getting the players you want on relatively cheap rookie deals. That’s why Roseman is always trading single picks for multiple picks. More chances to hit on players.

The 2024 Super Bowl champions had 23 players start more than six games, and 17 of them began their careers here either as a draft pick or undrafted free agent. That’s all but Brown, Darius Slay, Mekhi Becton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Zack Baun and Saquon Barkley.

And the more money you save with home-grown players, the more money you have to sign top free agents. 

Now the Eagles have another way to add through the draft. Just not for two years.

Also important to note that as of now the Eagles have a number of key players under contract through 2027, including Lane Johnson, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Cooper DeJean and Jalyx Hunt.

Now, they won’t all hit free agency, but Roseman can’t keep everyone, and 2028 seems like it will be a transition year, and an extra 1st-round pick could be awfully valuable during that process.

“I feel very, very confident that those picks are the most valuable things that you can add as you’re building your team,” he said. “And I know there’s a lot of attention on the 2027 draft, but at the same time, looking at the ‘28 draft, (I) feel confident that that’s going to be a good draft as well, and that we’ll be in a position to really improve our football team.”

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Behind the scenes of the start to Uar Bernard's NFL journey

Behind the scenes of the start to Uar Bernard's NFL journey originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Clint Hurtt stood tall in the Eagles’ draft room on the morning of Day 3 and made his last push for Uar Bernard.

Hurtt was compelling and passionate.

“I’d love to get my hands on him,” Hurtt said in a behind-the-scenes video released by the Eagles, which featured clips from the annual draft Saturday passion meeting. “Explosive, violent, heavy-handed kid. Ton of upside. Developmental guy, but I trust myself and I believe in the kid.”

The Eagles’ well-respected defensive line coach allowed that Bernard had never played football before but said Bernard had more physical ability than some of the players drafted the first two days. Hurtt wanted a chance to mold him.

While Hurtt showed passion in that Day 3 meeting, it was not the first time some in the room heard about his affinity for the raw prospect from Nigeria. Hurtt wasn’t shy about it, especially not with Eagles GM Howie Roseman.

“I was worried I was pissing Howie off,” Hurtt said last week, “because I was texting him during the course of the draft like, ‘It’d be really cool to have this guy.’”

The Eagles selected Bernard with the 251st overall pick in the seventh round. While Bernard, 21, has never played a single snap of American football, he showed a ton of potential in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program and is a truly unique athlete.

But Bernard’s athleticism wasn’t the reason Hurtt pushed for the pick — at least not the athleticism on its own. It’s because he believes in Bernard’s work ethic.

The Eagles, like a lot of NFL teams, were wowed by Bernard’s athletic testing numbers. Bernard is 6-foot-4, 306 pounds with a reported body fat percentage of 6%. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds, had a vertical jump of 39 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches.

But all that athleticism wouldn’t have meant much to Hurtt if he determined that Bernard didn’t have the work ethic to go with it. So the Eagles sent Hurtt to Fort Myers, Florida, this spring to meet Bernard in person and to put him through a workout.

“The workout was supposed to start at 9 a.m.,” Hurtt said. “He was ready to go at 7:45. Full lather, full sweat, the whole deal. And that, to me, means a lot. So he was excited for the opportunity.”

Hurtt and the Eagles were the first of 12 teams scheduled to put Bernard through a workout and Hurtt came away incredibly impressed. That started before the workout began and continued throughout it.

When Bernard made a mistake, he wanted another rep. He was eager to learn and that is what sold Hurtt on him. And that was why Hurtt felt comfortable making a passionate plea to kick off Day 3 of the draft.

“I’m not putting my stamp on everybody,” Hurtt said. “If you don’t have a great work ethic, if I don’t believe in your character and who you are as a person, I’m not putting my family’s well-being in anybody’s hands. But when I saw the kids’ work ethic and character, great, he’s an unbelievable human being. I know as people get a chance to spend some time with him, he’s a great kid. So I felt good about doing that.”

Now that Bernard is in the building and going through spring practices, it’s important to temper expectations.

This isn’t going to happen overnight.

After his collegiate playing career ended, Hurtt spent 13 seasons coaching at the college level at Miami, FIU and Louisville before taking his first coaching job in the NFL in 2014. Hurtt said there were some college players who didn’t begin playing until they were in 11th or 12th grade, so he’s now leaning on that experience as he coaches Bernard, although this lack of football knowledge is a bit more extreme. With Bernard, he’s coaching the basics of stance, alignments and adjustments.

But perhaps the most important element of coaching such a raw player like Bernard is trying to keep his confidence high. Hurtt said he made sure to install the easiest stuff first so that Bernard could feel good about his progress.

“Because to me, the most critical thing is keep his confidence high,” Hurtt said. “At this level, you’re going to get humbled because you’re going to get some of the best players in the world on our team. So you got to keep him feeling good where he’s like, he can also see, ‘Yeah, I have talent, but I also can see myself ascending and going forward.’ And I don’t want to put him in a situation where he’s just like, ‘Do I really belong?’”

We’re probably years away before really being able to determine if Bernard belongs in the NFL. But he is fitting in with his new teammates in Philly.

While Bernard was initially a little shy, he is starting to come out of his shell more and more with his teammates. Last week at a practice, Bernard surprised the heck out of his teammates when a Tupac song began blaring at practice and he rapped it word-for-word.

“And the guys went nuts,” Hurt said. “It was cool. They were like, ‘Hey, we didn’t know you knew who Tupac was.’ So that was cool.”

Bernard isn’t just learning how to play American football; he’s also learning about how to coexist and thrive in a locker room setting. 

Jordan Davis, the leader of the Eagles’ defensive tackle room, thinks the natural connection between Bernard and Moro Ojomo has helped. Ojomo moved to the United States when he was just 8 years old, but just like Bernard, Ojomo was born in Nigeria. Bernard is also now teammates with undrafted rookie DE Joshua Weru, a Kenyon rugby player who was with him in the IPP program.

Hurtt said that Bernard is acclimating to the locker room but “is staying true to himself,” which Hurtt finds refreshing.

“He’s a good guy, great guy,” Davis said. “He’s really meshing into the room really well, not that we had any reservations or doubt that he [would] but just seeing him flourish in the room and get connected with the guys.”

While it seems like Bernard is off to a good start with the Eagles, this isn’t going to happen overnight. When the Eagles drafted Jordan Mailata in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, the former Australian rugby player didn’t see the field until his third NFL season.

And Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has some similar experience because he once coached Olympian Lawrence Okoye in San Francisco. The British discus thrower signed with the 49ers in 2013 and also spent time with the Cardinals, Jets, Cowboys, Bears and Dolphins over the course of five years, but never played in a regular season game.

“He’s picked things up well,” Hurtt said of Bernard. “You gotta understand he’s going to need time. It’s going to need time. And anybody who thinks it’s going to happen overnight, you’re kidding yourself. But he’s coming along well.”

This is going to be hard. But Hurtt believes in himself and, more importantly, he believes in Bernard. That’s a good start.

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CelticsBlog exit interview: Amari Williams follows big man developmental path through Maine

The Boston Celtics selected big man Amari Williams with the 46th pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Williams would become the first-ever British-born player for the Boston Celtics in franchise history.

Amari played four years at Drexel before a single season with the Kentucky Wildcats and being selected in the 2nd round. Brad Stevens said of Williams in a July 8th press conference that Amari “has a great chance to be impactful here.” Stevens would also praise his knack for passing and cited that Williams “has a high upside.” Williams had a lukewarm debut in Las Vegas. The 7-footer appeared in four of the team’s Summer League games, averaging a modest 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per outing.

He was solid enough, but didn’t break out in the same way that other rookies have previously in Vegas. That all changed in Maine, though, as Amari impressed the fans and coaches with some eye-popping stat lines. The two-way player recorded multiple double-double outings while dominating the paint for Maine. His best performance came against Sioux Falls with 26 points, 12 boards, and eight assists in an overtime win.

UNIONDALE, NY – MARCH 19: Amari Williams #77 of the Maine Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the Long Island Nets on March 19, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Evan Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Amari Williams earned minutes for the Celtics after impressing in the G-League, Joe Mazzulla and co. trusting in the young big enough for him to see the court in 22 games in his rookie campaign. Amari started two games for the Celtics and held his own against NBA competition.

Amari’s best game of the season for the Celtics came on January 27th against Portland. Luka Garza was injured, and Amari was the first big off the bench for Boston as he spelled Neemias Queta with 9 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of action against Donovan Clingan and former Celtic Robert Williams III.

On February 7th, 2026, Brad Stevens gave a glowing assessment of Williams, saying that “I think Amari has a real chance to be a player.” With the roster in flux and the Cs in cap management mode, Amari was converted from his two-way contract to sign a two-year, $2.7 million deal, a decent team-friendly deal for a third-string frontcourt player.

Most of his points came on dunks or layups during the regular season, but Amari did show off a baby hook shot in a few games. In his limited NBA minutes, Amari also showed that he is not just a willing passer, but a pretty good one for a seven-footer, quickly spraying passes out to the three-point line from inside the key.

Defensively, Williams has shown one distinct attribute that shows he can hang in the NBA: blocking shots. Amari has tremendous leaping instincts with good timing and really long arms to swat the ball away. He has shown this past season that he can help from the weak side and also get up quick in 1-v-1 situations.

Jan 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Amari Williams (77) blocks the shot of Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love (2) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

He’s still got room to develop further, but the tools are there to become a decent backup big man for many years. Boston has developed really serviceable big men recently in Queta and Kornet. Hopefully, Amari will follow the same developmental trajectory.

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Wembanyama, Spurs show poise, maturity beyond their years, are headed to Finals because of it

OKLAHOMA CITY — Poise. Maturity. Answering the opponents runs by knocking down big shots, or getting a key block. Digging deep when tested and finding a new level of performance and execution. Doing it all in the highest stakes game in a hostile environment.

That's what veteran teams do, what tested teams do. What champions do.

Except, in Game 7 on Saturday night, it wasn't the champion Thunder, it was the young and untested Spurs who did all those things in the Western Conference Finals. They kept their heads about them, at least until the final buzzer, when Wembanyama could be seen in tears.
"This feeling, I can't explain it," Wembanyama said. "It's so powerful."

It’s Wembanyama, Spurs world

Early in the season, when the Thunder started 24-1, how this season was going to play out felt inevitable. It was going to be Thunder dynasty talk.

By Christmas, the Spurs had punctured that narrative and started to build one of their own.

San Antonio got to this moment — and to the NBA Finals — faster than anyone projected — even themselves.

At media day prior to the start of training camp, Wembanyama talked about making the playoffs as a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in tournament. There wasn't one "ah-ha" moment where San Antonio suddenly realized they could be this great or contend, Wembanyama said, they just focused on building good habits and stacked those one on top of the other. That's what built the confidence, the belief.

It also helped that the Spurs have a tight-knit and mature locker room. The off-court connectivity carried over to the hardwood.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had been downplaying the idea of Oklahoma City's championship experience mattering since before this Western Conference Finals started. He said his team has the experience that matters.

"Experience, a lot of times, is used in the form of 'best use' or the lack thereof when you need it the most. And people don't talk about as much the habits, the character, the togetherness, the competitive response..." Johnson said. "And this team has now been pretty damn consistent for a long time...

"I don't know who has as much experience as we do this year in the season of 2025-26."

Full Spurs team effort

Wembanyama was good in this game — 22 points, seven rebounds — and with that was named the Western Conference Finals MVP.

But he wasn't elite in Game 7 (Shai Gilgous-Alexander was the best player on the court). What the Spurs and Wembanyama had was poise and depth as a team. Julian Champagnie made six 3-pointers, some of them back-breaking for the Thunder. Stephon Castle continued his ascent and scored 16. Dylan Harper was making everyone forget he is a rookie, scoring a dozen off the bench.

It wasn't just the kids in San Antonio. One of the veterans on this team, Luke Kornet, was forced into action in the fourth quarter when Wembanyama picked up his fifth foul of the night. Then Kornet went out and made maybe the play of the game.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME LUKE KORNET???

WILD CHASEDOWN BLOCK IN TRANSITION

THE TYPE OF PLAYS YOU NEED TO WIN A GAME 7. pic.twitter.com/FP5Z4T0LHw

— NBA (@NBA) May 31, 2026

"I think, in a way, it probably saved me from myself... in terms of he probably needed a break," Johnson said of Wembanyama's foul trouble. "I probably wouldn't have given him one if I didn't have to because of the fouls. And, obviously, playing Monday morning quarterback, Luke was awesome, so it feels good now."

It felt good to Wemby, who was emotional on the podium.

"There's just so many big-time plays, so many guys stepping up," an emotional Wembanyama said. "Oh my god, it's an unreal chance [to play in the Finals]. My life is amazing, and being with these guys, living these things with these guys that I love so, so, so much. It's amazing."

That buzz from winning the Western Conference Finals will wear off, but the Spurs have gained all the experience they needed to reach and win the NBA Finals, showing off their poise and maturity along the way.

Anyone who doubts the Spurs are ready for that bigger stage has not been paying attention the past two weeks. This team has all the poise, maturity, and most importantly, talent it needs.

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Aidan Hutchinson pleased with his 2025, aspires to be Defensive Player of the Year in 2026

Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was asked at Organized Team Activities if he has aspirations to be the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for the 2026 season, and he confirmed that he wants to be recognized as the best.

"Do I have aspirations for Defensive Player of the Year? Yeah, the mentality is always that, for sure," Hutchinson said.

In 2024, Hutchinson was the betting favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year before his season ended with a gruesome leg injury. In 2025, Hutchinson says, he was happy to show he could get back on the field, and to sign a long-term contract extension with the Lions.

"I'm really happy with last year, with what I did with a lot going on, whether that be contract, whether that be expectation from people seeing me break my leg, there was a lot of stuff that happened last year," Hutchinson said. "To have the production I had, I'm really happy with how last year went, and this year, I got to have a full offseason to train and get my body right."

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CelticsBlog exit interview: we didn’t get to see enough of Nikola Vučević

Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic (4) moves the ball against Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This one is a bit personal for me.

I’ve been a Nikola Vučević fan since he was traded from Philadelphia to Orlando, and for years I hoped the Montenegrin big man would eventually suit up for the Boston Celtics. That trade to Orlando happened back in 2012, when I was still in high school. Fast forward 14 years, and the wish finally came true when Boston acquired Vučević.

Unfortunately, 12 games into his Celtics tenure, Vučević suffered a fractured right ring finger against the Dallas Mavericks and missed the next 14 games.

In the 16 regular-season games he played for Boston, Vučević averaged 9.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and two assists while shooting 34% from 3-point range and 43.9% from the field.

The numbers don’t jump out, but there are plenty of explanations as to why he wasn’t an instant fit. 

The biggest factor was the injury. Vučević simply didn’t get enough time on the court with his new teammates to learn everyone’s tendencies and settle into the system. From the moment he arrived in Boston, he was already playing catch-up.

Vučević has never been known as a great defender, so adjusting to Joe Mazzulla’s system was always going to take time. With such a strong emphasis on communication and knowing every assignment, he needed reps that he ultimately never got. By the time he returned from injury, he had only four games left in the regular season to ramp up before the playoffs began.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens also acknowledged the impact the injury had on Vučević’s season. “He’s our only unrestricted free agent. I thought, obviously, getting traded here when he did, he had some moments. Broke his finger, that probably set him back,” Stevens said. 

There were flashes during the season that showed what Vučević could bring to the roster. Against Brooklyn, he posted 28 points and 11 rebounds. In his Celtics debut against Miami, he recorded a double-double in a win.

In the playoffs, though, Vučević struggled. 

Facing the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round was never an ideal matchup for him, and that showed throughout most of the series. His season ultimately ended with a DNP-CD in Game 7.

“This was a hard matchup for all of us. I think when I looked at it the other day, he ended up being a plus in the series, but it was back and forth with all those guys,” Stevens said.

“I thought Vuč gave us all that he had and did what we asked. It was a hard matchup,” Stevens added. “I have a lot of respect for Vuč as a person and as a pro. I know he was really good in our locker room. I thought he was a really good person to have around.”

As the team’s lone unrestricted free agent, it’ll be interesting to see what Vučević prioritizes this offseason. Is it money? A contender? A mix of both?

If the Celtics want him back, they can certainly offer him a chance to compete for another title, though it would likely need to come on a team-friendly contract, if not a veteran minimum deal.

If Vučević is open to returning, I’d be all for bringing him back on a reasonable contract. He’s still a solid frontcourt option and could provide valuable depth alongside Neemias Queta and Luka Garza.

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CSR Weekend Warriors: 5/29-5/31

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

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