Eagles GM: 'We need to infuse youth into this team'

The Philadelphia Eagles plan to retool their aging roster in 2020, which will include making double-digit selections in the upcoming draft.

"Going forward, we need to infuse youth into this team," general manager Howie Roseman told reporters Wednesday. "We have 10 draft picks, we think we're going to have 10 draft picks in this draft, we're excited about that."

The Eagles entered the 2019 season with the second-oldest roster in the NFL behind only the New England Patriots. They've drafted just 10 players over the last two years combined, which has forced the coaching staff to lean heavily on veterans who are at greater risk of decline or injury.

However, with several veterans shelved by ailments late in the season, youngsters such as receiver Greg Ward and running back Miles Sanders provided the spark Philadelphia needed to sneak back into the playoffs for the third straight year.

"It's a great lesson: You have to let young players play," Roseman said. "It's natural for us to want to have a (veteran) safety net at every position. We have to allow these young players to grow and get some experience. Just the energy that they inject into this team and the obviously the production that they had, we have to balance that."

Roseman admitted he was frustrated about the number of injuries the Eagles faced throughout the season, and noted the club must find a way to keep its players healthier.

"In 2017 we were able to overcome it," he said. "The last two years, the injuries have really hurt our football team. Now there is a part of that that is natural during the game, injuries are gonna happen. But we have to figure out a way to get better here."

He added that his front office will take a closer look at the types of players it brings in. The Eagles hired a new chief medical officer in June who spent the season observing players, the training staff, the sports science department, and other processes.

"Hope is not a strategy when it comes to injuries," Roseman said.

Philadelphia bowed out of the playoffs on Wild Card Weekend, falling 17-9 to the Seattle Seahawks.