Getty Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans.
The asking price for disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is insane. It’s thought to be two first-rounders, two second-rounders, plus two young defensive starters. Then again, the 25-year-old Watson is one of the top young gunslingers in the NFL.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been rumored to be making phone calls about the Clemson product for at least a month. So has every other team in the league that doesn’t have an Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes. How serious have the discussions between Houston and Philly gotten?
It’s unclear, although The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reported that general manager Howie Roseman is willing to “give up give up everything he has for Watson.” The Eagles have 11 picks in this year’s draft, including the sixth and 37th overall selections. They could own two first-rounders in 2022 if Carson Wentz plays at least 70% of the offensive snaps for the Indianapolis Colts.
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Deshaun Watson’s first half against the Patriots. (The TD to Cooks was called back because of holding.)
This is like an entire season’s worth of highlights. This was one half of football.
That seems like a king’s ransom to unload for a guy mired in a sexual assault lawsuit — three women have now come forward to accuse Watson of inappropriate behavior — but there’s no denying his immense talent on the football field. Either way, the Eagles appear to be interested in acquiring the dual-threat quarterback. McLane wrote:
“Howie will give up everything he has for Watson,” an NFL source familiar with the Eagles’ thinking said.
The Eagles’ roster is thin, though, and Watson, as good as he played last season, couldn’t compensate for the rest of a Texans squad that finished 4-12. The Eagles have a high first-rounder this year, and potentially two first-rounders next year if Wentz hits certain playing time conditions.
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Eagles GM, Coach Stop Short of Naming Starter
Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni had every opportunity to unequivocally say that Jalen Hurts was their unquestioned starter in 2021 during their media availability on Thursday. And while both men heaped accolades on the young quarterback, they stopped short of calling him the future of the franchise.
Howie Roseman mentions that the first thing people mention about Jalen Hurts is his athleticism and he doesn’t think that’s fair. Points out his 70% completion percentage at OU.
Hurts’ body of work remains incomplete after starting just four games last year, with mixed results. He flashed amazing athleticism and potential but completed just 50.2% of his passes while posting a 77.6 QB rating.
“When you look at those four games, I think I watched Coach say this, and I think it was the best way to describe it: he’s only got four starts. There’s huge room for him to continue to improve from a player who had four starts,” Roseman told reporters on Thursday. “We’re excited about the ability that he has and his opportunity to grow and to kind of be with this coaching staff and their ability to get their hands on him and help him become the player that he’s got the talent to become.”
Eagles Lose Punter to Houston Texans
The Eagles are in the market for a new punter after watching Cam Johnston sign a three-year deal with the Houston Texans. Johnston gets an $8 million contract with a $1 million signing bonus, per the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson.
Johnston booted a career-high 3,318 yards on 71 punts in 2020 and leaves Philly after a successful three-year run. He hit 48.1 gross yards per punt and 42.7 net yards per punt in 2018, a franchise record. Arryn Siposs is the only in-house option on the Eagles’ roster at punter. The team could look to draft someone in the later rounds or find a cheap veteran in free agency.
Cameron Johnston is now accepting nominations for punt of the year 🦵💯 @Cam_Johnston
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Eagles Prepared to Make Insane Trade Offer for Deshaun Watson