Report: The Philadelphia Eagles still aren’t on Russell Wilson’s trade list
For many a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, the team’s forthcoming offseason period will be an abject failure if the Howie Roseman isn’t able to pull a rabbit out of his hat and trade for a top-flight quarterback.
Theoretically, the idea goes a little bit like this: Quarterback is the most crucial position in the NFL, and if a team doesn’t have a great one, the margin of error can become darn near-insurmountable to consistently compete.
Could Jalen Hurts eventually become the best quarterback in the NFC East, or at least on the same level as Dak Prescott? Only time will tell, but as things presently stand, he is at least one tier lower than the former fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State, maybe lower, depending on your personal evaluation.
But what are the Eagles to do? Should they pursue a player like Derek Carr or Kyler Murray, both of whom could be available depending on how the next month shakes out? Or how about Deshaun Watson, who is still in a bit of a gray area league-wide due to a slew of year-old allegations of inappropriate off-field behavior.
To most fans, there is one player and one player only on the top of their wishlist: Russell Wilson.
Understand? You bet, but unfortunately, according to Ed Kracv of Eagles Maven, that affection might not be reciprocated.
The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly aren’t Russell Wilson’s first choice.
On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles have a lot of attractive qualities that a top-tier quarterback could be looking for.
They have a pair of elite young pass catchers in DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, a premier rushing attack that isn’t dependent on one specific player, and an offensive line that should keep a signal-caller on the wrong side of 30 healthy and upright more often than not. Outside of personnel, the team has a head coach in Nick Sirianni with a track record of adjusting his scheme to fit his player, a GM who has already built a championship roster once before, and the sort of fanbase who would herald his legend long after he’s retired, especially if he can help you bring another parade down Broad.
And yet, apparently, the Eagles aren’t one of the teams on Russell Wilson’s list, which reportedly features the Buccaneers, the Saints, the Steelers, the Dolphins, and the Raiders, among potential others. Despite having more on-field success than four of those five franchises in 2021 and being one of only two alongside the Bucs to actually make the playoffs, the Eagles have 40-to-1 odds – as per Ed Kracz – to land Wilson and might not even get a chance to pursue the nine-time Pro Bowler, as he can simply opt not to waive his no-trade clause regardless of the deal presented.
Now granted, Wilson’s trade list isn’t set in stone. This time last year, there were four teams on his list; the Bears, the Cowboys, the Raiders, and the Saints, and two of those teams are off the board, but did you notice one name that wasn’t on either list? That’s right, the Eagles.
Huh, I guess Wilson just… doesn’t want in on the action? Doesn’t want to play alongside Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce? Doesn’t want to be a hero in the City of Brotherly Love?
*shrugs* to each their own, I guess.
dark. Next. Who are the Dante Fowlers of the NFC East?
Between you and me, the Philadelphia Eagles’ interest in Russell Wilson felt more like smoke than fire since the two parties started getting linked together last summer. While Jalen Hurts is still a work-in-progress as a passer, the roster just isn’t a quarterback away from the Super Bowl, and swapping multiple first-round picks this season for big name quarterback would limit the team’s ability to reload on premier talent. If that day comes and a player like Wilson is available, then yeah, go for it, but for now, better for Howie Roseman to keep his head down than get enchanted by making a James Harden-level swing before his roster is ready to compete.