The Eagles have reportedly had recent discussions with the Houston Texans about acquiring DeShaun Watson, according to a report from The Athletic.
The latest, per Jeff Howe and Aaron Reise:
The House Chronicle first reported on Wednesday that a trade for Watson could be coming this week. The Texans have been asking teams for three first-round draft picks and two or three more assets, including a collection of picks or players, according to a source.
The Texans have had recent discussions with the Miami Dolphins, 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.
Watson has yet to play this season as he has 22 civil lawsuits that are still active accusing of him of both sexual misconduct and sexual assault. It is unclear at this point if he would be able to play if he were acquired in a trade, or if he would be placed on the Commissioners Exempt List, which would sideline him.
The Eagles have been linked to Watson for months, but multiple reports prior to the season stated that Watson would not be willing to waive his no-trade clause to come to Philadelphia. Instead, his preferred destination seem to be Miami, although Carolina was on his initial list of teams as well.
The Eagles have plenty of ammunition to get a deal done if Watson were willing to come to Philadelphia, as they own the Miami Dolphins' first-round pick in 2021, as well as a conditional first-round pick from the Indianapolis Colts and their own first-round pick.
It certainly is interesting if the Eagles did indeed talk recently to the Texans about Watson. It could be the Texans were trying to get a final offer from the Eagles, or gauge if they still had interest. Or, it could be the Eagles are still actively pursuing Watson, which would indicate they have not been overly impressed with what they have seen from Jalen Hurts so far this season.
Either way, the rumors connecting Watson to the Eagles aren’t going away — and likely won’t until the Texans quarterback is traded.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!