PHILADELPHIA:One should use the Philadelphia Eagles’ acquisition of quarterback Kenny Pickett as a lesson in being ready for the NFL draft.
In the next April draft, the Eagles traded down 22 positions (from No. 98 at the end of the third round to No. 120 in the fourth) in exchange for the former Pittsburgh starter and a 2025 seventh-round pick.
Before Jalen Hurts had what ended up being his breakthrough season, the Eagles were not entirely convinced that he would be the team’s long-term starter in the offseason of 2022. But the organization had become accustomed to the idea of another campaign to determine Hurts’ actual position in his development as a young quarterback.
According to team sources who spoke with SI.com’s Eagles Today at the time, a “home run” would have been the only significant shift that could have occurred. That description was restricted to persuading the beleaguered Deshaun Watson—or the company’s “white whale,” Russell Wilson—to contemplate the City of Brotherly Love as a possible destination during his Seattle departure plan.
According to an NFL source, neither veteran star entertained the idea of playing for the Eagles with Watson, who was Hurts’ offseason quarterback coach at the time. He didn’t want to be the one to obstruct his friend’s chance.
In retrospect, Hurts’ incredible supporting cast—which included the acquisition of great receiver A.J. Brown on draft night—helped him emerge as the 2002–02 season’s runner-up for MVP Patrick Mahomes. Still, it’s better to be lucky than good.
In the meantime, Watson has never reverted to his former self following the pre-sexual assault accusations in Houston. The straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of Wilson’s relationship with Pickett and the Steelers, however, was the player’s quick decline in Denver. Wilson will attempt to give it one more chance in Pittsburgh this season.
As the star of a “bad draft class” in 2022 for quarterbacks, Pickett was the only player selected in the first round, going to the Steelers at No. 20 overall.
The Eagles’ investigation into Pickett was never focused on the first round following a stunning postseason run in Nick Sirianni’s first campaign as head coach. After going big-game hunting at No. 15, Philadelphia eventually defeated Baltimore at No. 14 to reach Jordan Davis.
GM Howie Roseman and his personnel department were reportedly very high on Pickett, according to multiple team sources. If others had stayed away—possibly scared off by Pickett’s smaller hands—they would have definitely taken him into consideration in the second round.
At one time, Roseman went to see Pickett play; this was perhaps made easier by the fact that it was a midweek game and close to home, but it was nonetheless notable.
