Getty Images D'Ernest Johnson of the Cleveland Browns.
Kareem Hunt has been the running back proposed to Philadelphia in multiple trade rumors. The dots connect: Hunt requested out of Cleveland; the Eagles could use more depth at the position. Especially with Miles Sanders hurt.
However, there is a slightly younger and much cheaper option on the Browns roster. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson believes D’Ernest Johnson would be “easier to trade” than Hunt and projected him heading to Philadelphia in exchange for Jalen Reagor.
His reasoning? Cleveland is thin at wide receiver and Reagor is a former first-round pick who still has time to “turn his career around.” It could be the perfect win-win situation. Jackson wrote:
It’s going to be an interesting week, and for this exercise, I’m projecting that the Browns trade Johnson to the Eagles … I’m also projecting the Browns get Reagor from the Eagles because he’s expendable and because he was a first-round pick just 28 months ago who could still turn his career around.
Reagor has return game experience, too, but this is more about adding talent to a group that has always been gambling on big leaps from its young players.
Johnson (5-foot-10, 208 pounds) is playing on a one-year, $1.2 million contract this season as he heads into free agency in 2023. The Eagles could rent a 26-year-old who rushed for 534 yards on 100 carries in 2021. Low mileage. Cheap contract. Plus, Johnson’s new team wouldn’t have to offer him an extension if he failed to perform, whereas Hunt is looking for a lucrative extension on his $6 million salary.
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Jets LB Fined for Hitting Jalen Hurts Late
That dirty sideline hit on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has gone punished. The NFL fined New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams $10,609 (via Tom Pelissero) for an “egregiously awful” play from the first preseason game. Williams was head hunting and Hurts was out of bounds. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Here is the late hit on Jalen Hurts that caused Nick Sirianni to lose his mind. You don’t need to be a professional lip reader to decode this one. Coach was HOT!!!!!!
Head coach Nick Sirianni was livid when the hit occurred in real time. Ditto for left tackle Jordan Mailata who thought about retaliating before cooler heads prevailed.
“To be honest, I wanted to charge him with my helmet and headbutt him,” Mailata said. “That [stuff] is really dirty. I don’t give a damn if it’s preseason. I don’t like that stuff. I’m going to protect my QB. That’s the standard here.”
Reid Sinnett Returns to Face Old Team
Reid Sinnett will likely get the start on Saturday night when the Eagles face the Dolphins. It’ll be a homecoming of sorts for Sinnett who was waived last season by Miami then claimed off waivers by Philadelphia. The Eagles needed an extra quarterback after they traded Joe Flacco at the deadline. Sinnett assumed the QB3 role. And should keep it breaking camp this year.
No. 3 QB has such a wide range of importance. Can either be the most obvious guy to keep inactive on game day, or he can be the most important player on the team if the top 2 guys go down. Reid Sinnett can sling it. There’s talent there. Have to keep him, IMO.
The crazy part is the Dolphins were hoping Sinnett cleared waivers so they could resign him to the practice squad. It didn’t happen. Now the 25-year-old will return to face his former team as a member of the Eagles. Sinnett has enjoyed a decent training camp, too. He has gone 13-of-26 for 150 yards and two touchdowns through two preseason games.
“Reid is a really smart football player. He understands the game really well,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen told reporters on August 16. “He’s been really good in the meetings. He asks great questions. He’s a big, strong passer with a big arm, and he sees it well. So it’ll be good to see him in the pre-season this year.”
#Eagles Reid Sinnett’s TD completion to Devon Allen netted 59.6 yards in air distance, according to @NextGenStats.
It was the longest completed pass by any NFL quarterback this preseason.
