Eagles miss out on Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson. Was it their choice or the opposite?

In an offseason in which two elite quarterbacks were available — one a future Hall of Famer, the other capable of someday being labeled as such — the Eagles couldn’t even get off the bench for either in trade discussions.

While the Eagles have yet to publicly confirm their interest in Russell Wilson and/or Deshaun Watson — and likely never will — they did reach out to their respective teams, the Seahawks and Texans, NFL sources close to both situations told The Inquirer.

More importantly, representatives or intermediaries, or whoever it took for the Eagles not to break league protocols, made contact with the quarterbacks to gauge whether the interest was mutual, the sources said.

Wilson and Watson had no-trade clauses in their contracts, which all but gave them final say on their landing spots. Interested teams had to meet certain requirements in negotiations, but personal preference played a part in the whittling down of options and, ultimately, the final choice.

The Super Bowl-winning Wilson, after instigating his exit from Seattle, went to the Broncos last week, and the 26-year-old Watson, after demanding a trade out of Houston over a year ago, and despite 22 allegations of sexual misconduct, was dealt to the Browns on Friday.

The Eagles, meanwhile, were relegated to spectators.

Whether there were forces outside of their control, or they weren’t willing to pay the price for either, the fact that they couldn’t even get in the game suggests that the franchise may not be as desirable a destination as team brass may believe.

Even though it became increasingly evident that the Eagles weren’t players for Watson, his trade capped an otherwise surprisingly tepid week for the team. The offseason is far from over, and the Eagles have ample stock in next month’s draft, but they often felt like bystanders in free agency as the rich got richer.

General manager Howie Roseman made an effort for top targets like safety Marcus Williams and wide receiver Christian Kirk, but edge rusher Haason Reddick was the only notable name to sign with the Eagles.

As for Wilson and Watson, Roseman did his due diligence as would be expected considering the upgrade each represented at football’s most important position. How often is it that two top-five caliber quarterbacks are on the market in the same offseason?

Maybe never.

Both quarterbacks came with valid arguments against. Wilson turns 34 in November and is coming off arguably the worst season of his 10-year career. Watson had a promising first four seasons as a pro, but there is still some projection to his game. And of course, there are the allegations made against him by massage therapists that have yet to be resolved.

Watson avoided criminal charges last week, which initiated an aggressive courting. He may still face discipline from the civil cases and by the league office, but many teams, including the Eagles, had been monitoring his legal matters since they became public over a year ago.

Ultimately, only four teams — the Browns, Falcons, Saints, and Panthers — met with Watson. They had to make competitive offers before the Texans allowed the meetings. If that was all it took, the Eagles had more than enough ammunition — ultimately, three first-round picks, and a third – to enter the bidding.

They weren’t obstructed by the division rival non-qualifier that blocked the Colts from entering the fray. But they may have come to the realization that Watson didn’t want to play in Philadelphia and chose to avoid what would have been a fruitless enterprise.

The Eagles, on the surface, should have had almost as much appeal as the four final teams. They have a top-notch offensive line, several offensive playmakers, pass-happy leadership, and an infrastructure that matches most organizations. The roster is thin, especially on the defensive side, but it’s not like long-term prospects for the other teams are significantly brighter.

Watson had his reasons for disqualifying the Eagles. One theory suggested by sources familiar with his thinking was that he didn’t want to be responsible for Jalen Hurts, with whom he shares a trainer, having to lose his job. But another narrative that he didn’t want to play in the north was debunked.

A restructured five-year contract worth a fully guaranteed (!) $230 million can buy a lot of long underwear, but Cleveland went all-in even though it threatened its relationship with incumbent quarterback Baker Mayfield. They forfeited a lot, and will face societal backlash. The Browns also dramatically improved their chances of winning an elusive Super Bowl.

The Eagles have adamantly voiced their endorsement of Hurts since the end of last season, one that ended up with a disappointing playoff loss in which the quarterback struggled, but also one that showed notable improvement in the 23-year-old.

But he is far from being mentioned in the same breath as Wilson and Watson and his future remains uncertain. The Eagles, thus, faced essentially two courses of action this offseason: mortgage the future and trade for one of the two quarterbacks, or continue to build around Hurts while maintaining the wherewithal to obtain a replacement, if necessary.

Wilson and Watson all but made the second proposal the only choice. The Seahawks reportedly didn’t want to trade within their conference, but the Eagles could have easily eclipsed the Broncos’ package: two first-rounders, two second-rounders, quarterback Drew Lock and two starters. But Wilson also wanted to go to a team that he thought was close to winning a title.

The Eagles are not that.

Wilson chose a difficult path in the stacked AFC West, which suggests he had other reasons for selecting the Broncos. But having to sit out the Wilson and Watson sweepstakes had to be a difficult pill to swallow for Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles’ quarterback-obsessed owner, and Roseman, Mr. Let’s Make a Deal.

The optics aren’t great either, especially during a week in which Roseman signed only one notable free agent, was forced to release franchise great Fletcher Cox because of his contract, and his own three-year extension was reported.

The 46-year-old GM fought against his extension becoming public, likely because he was aware the timing could work against him. The Eagles knew acquiring either quarterback was an uphill climb, but they entered the new league year hoping to make a splash.

They reportedly had trade discussions for Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley before his one-year suspension for gambling on NFL games nixed that idea. They made an attempt to sign Kirk, but were priced out by the Jaguars, and despite making a competitive offer, Williams chose the Ravens.

Money isn’t always the deciding factor. Receiver Davante Adams, who turned down a larger offer from the Packers to play for his dream team, the Raiders, said as much. Reddick, a Temple product and Camden native who signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Eagles, was vocal about the appeal of returning to Philly.

On the flip side, players around the league talk and free agents or quarterbacks with no-trade clauses may take certain suitors off the table based upon their treatment of their own. Zach Ertz spoke openly of his year-plus-long contract dispute with the Eagles before the tight end was finally traded last October.

Ertz re-signed with the Cardinals for three years, $31.65 million earlier this week. It’s unclear if that’s the extension he had been seeking in Philly, but he received a $2 million per-year raise, and the commitment the Eagles had been reluctant to give him.

Roseman has a business to run. He can’t please every player and can’t avoid making impersonal decisions. But his hardline stance with Ertz, a homegrown player who was an exemplary employee, stands in contrast to his treatment of Cox, for instance, who has had the benefit of Roseman’s ill-fated contract restructures and on Saturday agreed to re-sign with the Eagles.

Perception isn’t always reality. The Eagles can only control so much when it comes to free agency and trades. One underwhelming week does not a franchise make. The best organizations don’t get caught up in the new league year frenzy. They build from within and they are fiscally prudent.

Of course, the Eagles might have been more aggressive in free agency if they had more salary cap space. And they might not have needed to take swings if they had drafted better.

Last year’s class suggests momentum in terms of Roseman’s drafts. And he’s armed with 10 picks this year, three of which are first-rounders, and has the chance to add to a young foundation that makes the Eagles perennial playoff contenders.

They seem willing to play the slow game. But the quickest route to competing for championships is by having an elite passer. That’s easier said than done, but the Eagles never got up to bat for two of the better quarterbacks in a span of 10 days.