Howie Roseman Gamed the System with Cre'Von LeBlanc

PHILADELPHIA — It wasn't Billy Martin holding onto the realization that George Brett used too much pine tar for a rainy day.

It wasn't Bill Belichick driving John Harbaugh bonkers with formational tricks or figuring out ways to siphon the fourth-quarter clock by using the NFL's overlegislation against itself, but Howie Roseman gamed the system when it came to cornerback Cre'Von LeBlanc.

The popular backup cornerback was released on Sunday to make room for waiver-wire pickup Jason Huntley, the speedy rookie running back/kick returner out of New Mexico State.

LeBlanc, 26, was hardly the 53rd man on the Eagles' roster, however, so why was he sacrificed to make room?

The issue was procedure under the changing COVID-19 rules regarding Injured Reserve.

The Eagles had earmarked safety Will Parks (hamstring) and rookie receiver Quez Watkins (upper body) for short-term IR but waiver-wire pickups did not match up with the IR designation times so Philadelphia needed a spot for Huntley.

Roseman alluded to the issue after cobbling together his initial 53 on Saturday.

"For that rule, not only do you have to carry the player through the 53, but you can't switch him out with a claimed player, too," said the Eagles GM. "How fun that would be if you could; that you could just kind of switch them out. So you have to hold them through the initial claim tonight, for all you guys - I'm sure you guys know that. Sometimes I've got to refresh myself on some of these rules.

"So you've got to carry the guy through the 53 and then you can't then switch him out for a guy on the cuts tonight. So you've got to keep him until four o'clock (Sunday)."

As a vested player, LeBlanc, now in his fifth NFL season, wasn't subject to waivers and most of the logical candidates to go for Huntley were.

Rather than expose those players to other teams, Roseman worked out a wink-wink deal with LeBlanc with the understanding the Florida Atlantic product would be back after Parks and Watkins went to IR, something also foreshadowed by the glowing review LeBlanc got from Roseman after the initial move to 53.

"Cre'Von is a guy that (has) played in big games for us," said Roseman when discussing why Sidney Jones (Jaguars practice squad) and Rasul Douglas (Panthers 53-man roster) are elsewhere. "He's another guy, super competitive, somebody that has really risen to the occasion."

First thing Monday morning the Eagles made good on their promise to LeBlanc and re-signed him as the key reserve at CB behind starters Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, and Nickell Robey-Coleman.

There was a bit of gambling with LeBlanc because once you allow a player his freedom he could always change his mind about coming back, especially if an unknown team comes in with a much bigger offer.

The relationship between LeBlanc and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a strong one, though, and the realization of bouncing around from New England to Chicago and Detroit before gaining a foothold in Philadelphia remains there for LeBlanc.

The Eagles still have one roster spot available, presumably for veteran left tackle Cordy Glenn, who has been in town going through COVID protocols.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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