Owner Jeffrey Lurie: Eagles 'committed' to Jalen Hurts

According to John McMullen of the PhillyVoice, the Philadelphia Eagles were at least somewhat interested in possibly acquiring star quarterback Deshaun Watson before he completed a move from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns. The three-time Pro Bowl selection wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to head to the City of Brotherly Love because "he simply didn't want to take an opportunity away from" current Philadelphia signal-caller Jalen Hurts, however. 

Full details on Philadelphia's alleged pursuit of Watson may never be known among outsiders, but Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie offered high praise for his current QB1 while speaking at the league's annual meetings this week.

"We have a young, 23-year-old, playoff QB who gets better every year in college and in the pros," Lurie said of Hurts, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "He’s had, really, one full year. No one knows where that’s going to end up, but I think what you do know is you have a guy that is incredibly dedicated, excellent leader of men. Players around him gravitate to him. He will do anything and everything to get better and work on every weakness he has to try to maximize every strength he has. And that’s why we’re committed to Jalen at age 23. Who knows what the future holds, right?"

Hurts completed 61.3% of his passes during his first full season as an NFL starter and threw for 3,144 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with 784 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground. However, he tossed two interceptions in the playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, per Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia, posted a dismal 36.0 passer rating through three quarters of that contest.