PHILADELPHIA − The reason both quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Deshaun Watson, not to mention the rest of the perceived starters, are sitting out the preseason game between the Eagles and Cleveland Browns on Thursday is an easy one.
The two teams got all the work they needed during the joint practice sessions during the week. That was where both teams could be physical − as evidenced by the shoving matches Tuesday − in a controlled setting, without some third-string defensive lineman taking out a quarterback during the game.
If Hurts and Watson had played Thursday, it would be as obvious to the 65,000 or so fans at Lincoln Financial Field as it was to the select few hundred who attended the practice sessions at the NovaCare Complex: The Eagles are much better off with their $255 million quarterback than the Browns are with their $230 million QB.
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It goes beyond the fact that Watson threw three interceptions in two days of practice sessions − all to Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. Hurts threw one interception, and overall played better, even though he was under siege for much of Monday’s practice.
Sure, it’s preseason, and teams are working on things, and they are two different quarterbacks with different objectives on the field, and yada, yada, yada.
That’s why Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said there isn’t much that he could incorporate into Watson’s game from seeing how the Eagles use Hurts.
“They’re different football players, but what they do schematically with the quarterback-run game … is make it very hard on the defense,” Stefanski said. “There are certain things that we’ve done over the years, that Deshaun has done over the years, that matches what they do.
“But really, those are two different players when you’re talking about Jalen and Deshaun.”
The real difference is the Browns paid a king’s ransom not only in salary, but to get Watson from the Houston Texans. They sent the Texans first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024; a 2023 third-round pick; and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
The trade came after Watson sat out the entire 2021 season upon demanding a trade. And it came just before Watson was suspended for the first 11 games last season, the result of two dozen sexual assault lawsuits filed against him by massage therapists. All but two of the cases were settled.
You can give Watson a pass for last season when he played those final six games, his first games in 23 months. Watson completed just 58.2% of his passes, with 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and a passer rating of 79.1.
It was a far cry from Watson’s last full season, in 2020, when he completed 70.2% of his passes, led the NFL with 4,823 yards passing, with 33 TDs and 7 INTs. His passer rating was 112.4, second only to Aaron Rodgers.
Hurts, meanwhile, is coming off a season in which he was the MVP runner-up, with 3,701 yards passing, another 760 rushing, with 35 total touchdowns.
If Watson doesn’t revert to his Houston form, Cleveland is not only stuck with salary cap hits of $63 million in each of the next three years (his cap hit is $20 million this season), but the Browns are also missing all of those early-round picks that they traded away.
As a comparison, the Eagles used their first-round picks in 2022 to get A.J. Brown (via trade with Tennessee) and Jordan Davis. The Eagles drafted Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round this year. The Eagles also have their 2024 first-round pick and two second-round picks.
Sure, it’s possible that Hurts might not work out, although that seems hard to fathom considering how Hurts just turned 25 years old and has appeared on top of his game this summer.
But if that were to happen, the Eagles would at least have the foundation of a young and solid team to build with.
That wouldn’t be the case for the Browns.
“I’m excited for him and his opportunity in Cleveland,” Hurts said about Watson.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
