The rumors are becoming more than simply whispers. The Philadelphia Eagles have the assets to trade for Russell Wilson, and one anonymous NFL executive has put them in the “driver’s seat” to make that move next year.
The Super-Bowl-winning quarterback has a potential out in 2022 on the $140 million contract extension he inked with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. Wilson has expressed frustration over Seattle’s unwillingness to upgrade their offensive line after getting sacked 394 times in 144 regular-season games. That’s a whopping 43.8 sacks per year, more than any other quarterback since 1970.
According to The Athletic’s Mike Sando, the Eagles are a logical landing spot for Wilson following their blockbuster trade. The organization netted the No. 12 pick in 2021, plus No. 123 and a 2022 first-round pick in the deal. Philadelphia potentially has three first-round picks in 2022 to dangle to Seattle for Wilson.
“All they’re doing is stockpiling picks for next year, so they can get weapons for Jalen Hurts or acquire one of the top two overall picks to draft a quarterback,” an anonymous NFL executive told Sando. “And I would put Philly in the driver’s seat for Russell Wilson next year if Seattle moves him. That would have Howie Roseman written all over it.”
This isn’t the first time the Eagles have been linked to Wilson. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky brought up the idea earlier this week using the same logic. The Eagles seem content on giving Jalen Hurts a test run as the starting quarterback in 2021, but if the experiment goes haywire then they are likely to move on. Deshaun Watson’s name has also come up as a guy they could be targeting with all that extra draft capital.
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Eagles QB Coach Attends Florida Pro Day
Are the Eagles planning on taking a quarterback in the third round?
New quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson attended Florida’s pro day this week where he watched Kyle Trask and Kadarius Toney run through drills. Johnson knows both players well, having served as their offensive coordinator last year at Florida. He helped morph Trask into a Heisman Trophy finalist, fueling speculation that the Eagles are gearing up to steal him in the later rounds.
The Eagles were one of 31 teams to scout Trask who ran the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds and graded out well in the routes-on-air portion, per Sports Illustrated. His goal was to show people he wasn’t just a “statue” in the pocket. Trask threw for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns last year for the Gators.
Toney Posts 4.39 Seconds in 40-Yard Dash
Toney remains an intriguing option at wide receiver if he can slip into the second round. The 5-foot-11, 198-pounder ran an unofficial 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash — a number way above expectations for Toney — while posting impressive distances in the vertical (39 1/2) and broad (136) jumps.
He finished with 70 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns last year at Florida. He was also the Gators’ primary punt returner (11 returns for 139 yards, plus a score). Toney is a creative ball-handler who makes defenders miss in the open field, per Pro Football Network, and projects as a No. 3 wideout in the NFL.
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