No one had a clue as to what to expect from the Philadelphia Eagles this season.
Nick Sirianni was going to take over as coach, Jalen Hurts was going to have his first full season as a starter, and DeVonta Smith could either become a young star or a massive bust.
Nine weeks of the NFL season have gone by and we still can’t figure the Eagles out, and it seems like neither can them, as the team doesn’t have a clear direction or philosophy.
Eagles Don't Trust Hurts
Hurts, while not exactly impressive, hasn’t been bad for the Eagles either.
Per ProFootballReference, he’s thrown for 1,981 yards while completing 61.5% of his attempts (7.3 yards per attempt) and logging 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He’s added 83 rushes for 494 yards and 5 scores.
All things considered and looking at Sirianni’s questionable play-calling and the Eagles’ lack of weapons, you could say that Hurts has had a solid sophomore year.
Then again, the Eagles don’t seem to be too convinced about him as a franchise quarterback.
Deshaun Watson Trade Attempt
Even before the start of the season, the Eagles were reportedly trying to acquire Deshaun Watson in a trade, according to The Athletic.
"In addition to the Dolphins, the Texans have had recent discussions with the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, according to sources. However, the seriousness of those discussions — ranging from a casual conversation to actual trade negotiations — hasn’t been disclosed," read the report.
Those trade talks eventually stalled as the Texans continued to drive Watson’s price up, but it tells you just enough about how the organization feels about their young quarterback.
Philly Could Get A Franchise QB
So, with Deshaun Watson out of the picture and the Eagles reportedly not convinced with Jalen Hurts under center, ESPN’s Todd McShay claims that they could target Malik Willis out of Liberty as their new franchise QB in the upcoming NFL Draft:
"I wouldn’t say he’s the biggest reason why the Eagles are struggling, but I don’t think he’s the answer moving forward if you’re trying to build a championship roster and trying to make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl. So, if they’re in position to get Malik Willis, who has emerged as the No. 1 clear-cut quarterback in this year’s class coming out of Liberty, I think they have to make that pick," said Willis.
All-In On Willis
McShay added that the Auburn transfer is the best QB prospect in the nation right now and that that the Eagles should even try to move up in the Draft to get him:
"He’s a bigger, mobile version. You know, both guys, Hurts and Willis, have mobility, but I think (Willis) creates more and he’s more dynamic throwing the ball on the run and throwing the ball down the field than Hurts has been in his first couple of years with the Eagles… I think they go quarterback if they have the opportunity to take Willis with that first pick, whatever that pick, number-wise, ends up being. Maybe they use one of their other first-round picks, they’ve got three in the first round coming up in 2022, to move up and go get Willis to make sure they can get ahead of some other teams that might have interest," McShay concluded.
Hurts still has a handful of games to prove that he’s got what it takes to lead the franchise going forward. But if you’re an Eagles fan, you must be thrilled about having options in the case it doesn’t work out.
]]>The Inquisitr
