Deshaun who?
Birds happy they ended up with Hurts after showing interest in Watson after 2021 season
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts exchanged a few kind words and a handshake when he got together Tuesday with Deshaun Watson at the second joint practice between the Eagles and the Cleveland Browns.
While some might wonder if Hurts thanked Watson for choosing the Browns over the Eagles, the smile in the middle of the answer spoke volumes about their friendship and privacy.
“I’m excited for him and his opportunity in Cleveland,” Hurts said. “I’m excited for him.”
What a journey it was for these quarterbacks to reach this point at the NovaCare Complex. Though Hurts and Watson use their mobility and savvy to make off-schedule plays, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski called them “Different football players.
“What they do schematically with the quarterback-run game — credit to Nick [Sirianni] and Coach [Jeff ] Stoutland for the different things that they do,” Stefanski said. “They make it very hard on the defense.
“But there are certain things that we’ve done over the years, that Deshaun has done over the years, that matches what we do. But really, those are two different players when you’re talking about Jalen and Deshaun.”
After leading the Eagles to the playoffs in the 2021 season, Hurts endured an offseason of rumors fueled by chatter that his team was interested in trading for Watson. The Eagles had two first-round picks and the financial resources necessary to make it happen.
The Eagles also inquired about the services of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who had been unhappy in Seattle.
Hurts kept doing his thing on the field and avoiding questions about the quarterback chatter off of it when suddenly, almost out of nowhere the news broke that the Browns acquired Watson from the Houston Texans for first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Watson also signed a five-year fully guaranteed $230 million deal with the club.
The buzz was that Watson’s friendship with Hurts kept any potential deal to the Eagles from getting serious, although in the don’t-believe-everything-you-hear department, it’s hard to imagine Hurts balking at being part of a deal for Watson if it would mark his return to his hometown area of Houston. No matter.
The NFL ultimately suspended Watson 11 games and fined hi $5 million for violating the personal-conduct policy per his role in alleged sexual misconduct with several massage therapists.
The Browns finished 7-10 and last in the AFC North this past season, registering a 3-3 mark in games Watson started.
Meanwhile the Seahawks shipped Wilson to the Denver Broncos for first-round picks in 2022-23, second round selections in 2022-23 plus tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock and defensive end Shelby Harris.
Wilson, who was 34, inked a five-year, $242.5 million contract with the Broncos averaging $48.5 million with a $50 million signing bonus and $161 million guaranteed. The Broncos finished 5-12 last season, including 4-11 in starts by Russell. Sean Payton is the new head coach.
The Eagles of course went to the Super Bowl last season, Hurts guiding them to a 14-1 mark as the starter and finishing as the runner-up to Patrick Mahomes in the MVP voting and SB LVII.
Hurts, who just turned 25,