Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts To Start For Eagles In Week 15; Panthers Were Interested In Gardner Minshew

December 12th, 2021 at 7:58am CST by Rory Parks

Despite QB Gardner Minshew‘s strong performance in last week’s victory over the Jets, the Eagles — who are on a bye this week — will turn the reins back over to Jalen Hurts when they return to the field for their Week 15 contest against WFT, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Hurts was unable to suit up for the Jets game due to an ankle injury but is expected to be healthy enough to resume his starting role next week.

The Jets’ defense is hardly the most difficult test for a quarterback, but Minshew did exactly what he needed to do to put himself back on the radar for QB-needy clubs by completing 20 of 25 passes for 242 yards and throwing two TD passes. There may not be a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia at the moment, and Hurts’ play down the stretch will obviously factor into the Eagles’ long-term thinking, but even if the Eagles’ front office is content to move forward with Hurts, Minshew may have at least bolstered his trade value.

Per Rapoport, the Panthers called the Eagles about a possible Minshew trade during the season, not long before Carolina signed Matt Barkley and Cam Newton. The two clubs never got particularly deep into talks, but Minshew is expected to generate outside interest again this offseason.

RapSheet says that Minshew is generally viewed as no worse than a bridge starter, with the upside to be more. A team that misses out on one of 2022’s top trade targets or collegiate passers, or a team that is looking to groom a young QB, would probably be happy to give up a mid-round pick for Minshew.

The former Jaguars draftee still has a year to go on his rookie contract and will make a modest $965K in 2022, further enhancing his trade value.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Out For Week 13, Gardner Minshew To Start

December 5th, 2021 at 10:20am CST by Rory Parks

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered an ankle injury in his team’s Week 12 loss to the Giants. While Hurts expressed a desire to play through the injury, Philadelphia will be safe with its QB1 and let him rest for this week’s contest against the Jets. Former Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew will start in Hurts’ place.

Minshew has only seen the field in one game this season, completing two passes for 11 yards in a blowout win against the Lions. This will be his first start since he suited up for Jacksonville in a Week 15 loss to the Ravens last year.

This is bad timing for Hurts. Just last week, in the wake of a stretch of solid play, it was reported that the second-year pro might have done enough to entrench himself as the Eagles’ starting QB moving forward, thereby allowing the club to use its considerable draft capital to build around him. Unfortunately, Hurts had a miserable showing in the Giants loss, throwing three interceptions and renewing the chatter about whether he truly is a franchise passer, chatter that was highlighted by a report concerning an organizational divide on his long-term viability.

Obviously, one bad game isn’t going to make or break Hurts’ future, but he certainly would have preferred to have a chance to bounce back against a porous Jets secondary. Instead, Minshew — who at one time looked like he might be the Jags’ long-term solution under center — will get a chance to reestablish his value.

A 2019 sixth-round selection, Minshew’s strong performance and charismatic personality made him something of a sensation in his rookie season. Filling in for an injured Nick Foles, Minshew ended up starting 12 of his 14 games for Jacksonville, completing 60.6% of his passes for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He also guided the Jaguars to a 6-6 record during his 12 starts.

The Jaguars took a clear step back in 2020, but Minshew still put up solid numbers. While Jacksonville went only 1-7 in Minshew’s eight starts, the Washington State product still completed 66.1% of his passes for 2,259 yards, 16 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He’s also shown some versatility outside of the passing game, collecting 497 rushing yards on 96 career carries.

After the Jags selected Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Minshew became expendable, and he was shipped to Philadelphia — which is always on the lookout for QB talent — in exchange for a conditional sixth-rounder in August. He still has a year to go on his rookie contract, and he will welcome any opportunity to continue to produce quality tape.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Eagles’ Lurie, Roseman Split On Jalen Hurts?

December 3rd, 2021 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Carson Wentz‘s Colts usage tracking toward the Eagles receiving a first-round pick from their recent quarterback trade, the NFC East franchise will face a big decision in 2022. The Eagles are in line to have three first-round picks next year, giving the team ammo to move up in the draft or dangle picks for an established quarterback.

The prospect of the Eagles standing pat at QB next year has entered the equation, with Jalen Hurts showing growth as this season has progressed. But the franchise is not yet certain Hurts will be a long-term starter.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie, who directed the Eagles’ front office to avoid adding competition for Hurts’ QB1 gig this offseason, still believes in the second-year passer, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. GM Howie Roseman, however, is not as bullish on Hurts long-term.

Lurie led the way in the Eagles drafting Hurts in the 2020 second round, with McLane adding Roseman supported the pick and made the final decision to pull the trigger. The move ended up triggering a seismic shift at QB in Philly. Wentz went from big-ticket extension recipient in summer 2019 to Colts starter by winter 2021. And, it seems, the Eagles are still entertaining the prospect of making another big splash.

Lurie is believed to have led the way in the Eagles being in the Deshaun Watson mix, per McLane, who adds Hurts was viewed as a possible trade chip in such a deal. Of course, Watson would have needed to approve a trade to Philadelphia. Thus far, the Texans quarterback is not believed to have waived his no-trade clause for any team but the Dolphins. Watson figures to be moved in 2022. While the Eagles stand to be interested again — especially once clarity regarding the embattled star’s NFL discipline emerges — Miami appears to have a lead on the field at this juncture.

Hurts is completing 61% of his passes and averaging 7.0 yards per attempt. He sits 22nd in QBR. Not upper-echelon numbers, but the ex-Alabama and Oklahoma starter has obviously made a major impact on the ground for the Eagles as well. Hurts has a shot at a 1,000-yard rushing season, sitting at 695 (with eight TDs) through 12 games. Neither Randall Cunningham nor Michael Vick accomplished that as Eagles. Catalyzed by 200-yard rushing games in four of their past five games, the Eagles lead the NFL rushing. It would be interesting if the Eagles bailed on him as a starter after such an accomplishment, but quarterbacks like Watson, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers figure to be heavily involved in trade rumors again in 2022.

The Eagles would acquire the Colts’ first-round pick if Wentz plays 75% of Indianapolis’ offensive snaps this season. The injury-prone QB is on pace to do so. Though the Colts could make a run to the playoffs, the Eagles at this point project to have three picks inside the top 20. While the 2022 QB crop is viewed as a significant step down from 2021’s celebrated group, Hurts stumbling down the stretch would certainly link the Eagles to first-round passers. The Eagles’ quarterback decision figures to be one of next year’s top dominoes.

Latest On Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

November 28th, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Rory Parks

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts‘ recent run of quality play could have major ramifications for Philadelphia’s future. Aside from the obvious fact that getting the quarterback position settled is the most important agenda item for any NFL club, confidence in Hurts as the long-term solution under center opens a lot of other doors for the franchise, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com observes.

Although there are a number of high-profile passers that could be available via trade this offseason — Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, and Russell Wilson, for instance — the Eagles would not have to empty their cache of draft picks to acquire such a player if Hurts really is the answer. And considering the club has at least two 2022 first-round selections and is in line to recoup the Colts’ 2022 first-rounder as part of this year’s Carson Wentz trade, it would certainly be preferable to use those choices on cost-controlled young talent at other areas of need (like safety, where Bo Wulf of The Athletic believes the Eagles could make a significant splash this offseason).

Plus, this year’s crop of collegiate quarterbacks is not considered an especially strong one. Although some college signal-callers have played their way into first-round consideration, none of them have obvious franchise potential, and arguably none of them have the upside of Hurts. So Philadelphia will be happy to let other clubs take fliers on that group of players while it forges ahead with a QB that has shown marked improvement as the season has gone on.

Since Week 8, Hurts is the only player in the league with three or more rushing touchdowns and passing touchdowns. He is also averaging 5.4 yards per carry during that timeframe, good for seventh-best in the NFL (regardless of position). His running ability is part of what makes him such an intriguing player, so while his 90.4 quarterback rating on the season positions him closer to the bottom of the league than the top, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics — which consider throwing and rushing prowess — consider him a top-10 QB, ahead of players like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

So if Hurts’ arm continues to improve — he has thrown just one pick since Week 6 — there is reason to believe that he is, as owner Jeffrey Lurie hoped, the right QB to build around.

Eagles Name Jalen Hurts Starting QB

August 31st, 2021 at 3:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

While there did not seem to be much doubt about the Eagles’ starting quarterback job, Nick Sirianni finally removed all doubt Tuesday. Jalen Hurts will start for the team in Week 1.

The Eagles were in position to select Justin Fields or Mac Jones this year, even after trading down from their No. 6 overall spot, but owner Jeffrey Lurie was believed to be behind giving Hurts an opportunity this season. Philadelphia went with Hurts down the stretch last season, as their Carson Wentz era plunged toward a sobering conclusion, and the team will continue on that path to start this season.

Philly, however, has two first-round picks in the 2022 draft. If Wentz plays 75% of the Colts’ offensive snaps, the Eagles will have a third first-rounder. Hurts may have to play very well to keep the Eagles out of the quarterback conversation next year. But he will have that chance, with Joe Flacco and now Gardner Minshew on the Eagles’ roster behind him.

A second-round pick out of Oklahoma, Hurts began his career at Alabama and joined Eagles 2021 first-rounder DeVonta Smith as Crimson Tide freshmen in 2017. After Tua Tagovailoa beat out Hurts for the 2018 Alabama starting job, Hurts transferred to Oklahoma and followed Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray by putting up big numbers with the Sooners. His NFL trajectory remains uncertain, but the Eagles will give the 23-year-old passer a try after trading Wentz.

Doug Pederson Addresses Eagles’ QB Decisions, 2020 Downfall

July 9th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles using a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts raised eyebrows last year, and it ended up being a precursor to the end of an era.

While other factors contributed to the five-year Doug Pederson–Carson Wentz run abruptly ending, the since-fired head coach said the Hurts move was not part of a plan to develop Wentz’s heir apparent. It is rather remarkable that the Eagles taking Hurts 53rd overall preceded such swift fallout, considering the Alabama/Oklahoma product’s status as Philly’s long-term starter remains uncertain. But less than a year after the pick, Pederson is unemployed and Wentz is in Indianapolis.

“You go into drafts and you go into each year looking for quarterbacks,” Pederson said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via NFL.com). “And we continued to look for quarterbacks, and that’s always something that will never change. We won a Super Bowl with our backup quarterback. And we’ve had to play with our backups a couple of times in Philadelphia.

“So we did that a year ago and brought in Jalen Hurts — not to undermine Carson Wentz, not to do anything to take away his job or anything because Carson was our starter. He was the franchise and all that moving forward. But (we wanted) someone that could come in and could be the backup and learn how to play the NFL game — bring his talent to the Philadelphia Eagles.”

Pederson ended up benching Wentz in early December, following a rough stretch for the former No. 2 overall pick. A rash of injuries affected both the Eagles’ offensive line and their receiving corps, and Wentz’s play predictably worsened. The benching led to a fracture between Wentz and Pederson.

The Eagles then parted ways with both, ushering in a Hurts-Nick Sirianni pairing — barely a year after the team narrowly lost a wild-card game. Though the Eagles were believed to be interviewing candidates with an eye on jump-starting Wentz, making an ex-Frank Reich lieutenant a logical option, the franchise quickly went in a different direction.

“And really as the season began, things just started to kind of I guess spiral out of control,” Pederson said. “Injuries began to set in. We weren’t playing very well. Turnovers offensively, just a number of things, penalties, more injuries compounded problems, and it just became harder and harder as the year wore on.

“… It’s just unfortunate for me because I was hoping to really have an opportunity to fix the issues that we had and kind of get everything back on track — whether it was going to be this year or the next year. And, obviously, that didn’t happen.”

Pederson, 53, said he will attempt to land a second head coaching job. He discussed Seattle’s offensive coordinator position, but that was the Super Bowl-winning HC’s only known link to a 2021 gig. The Eagles added a 2022 first-round pick in trading down with the Dolphins this year. Barring an injury that prevents Wentz from taking 75% of Indy’s 2021 snaps, the team is in line to collect another from the Colts in the Wentz trade. This would give Philly a good opportunity to draft Wentz’s true successor, if Hurts fares poorly this season.

It is unclear how well Hurts will need to play to prevent the Eagles from entertaining another first-round quarterback pick, but given that he was not drafted with a QB1 role in mind, Philly figures to be linked to 2022 QB prospects.

Eagles Planning Quarterback Competition?

April 22nd, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

New Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni says that he will not automatically anoint Jalen Hurts as the team’s starting quarterback. Instead, as James Palmer of the NFL Network tweets, Sirianni plans to hold an open competition for the starting job.

At present, the only other QB on the roster is veteran Joe Flacco, whom Philadelphia signed to a one-year, $3.5MM deal last month. Flacco has enjoyed plenty of success in his lengthy career, highlighted by a Super Bowl MVP award, but he has dealt with injuries in recent seasons and has not been a full-time starter since the first half of the 2018 campaign. Hurts, meanwhile, is entering his second season in the league, and while there are still questions about his long-term viability, his brief audition in 2020 had its share of promising moments.

Barring a complete disaster, Sirianni’s job won’t be on the line in 2021, so he shouldn’t feel any pressure to lean on the more experienced hand over a high-upside talent like Hurts. And considering owner Jeffrey Lurie‘s recent comments that he wants his club to build around the second-year pro, it would be very surprising to see anyone other than Hurts under center on Week 1. Perhaps the rookie HC is simply honing his coach-speak skills.

Of course, Sirianni’s alleged plans for a QB competition immediately spurred speculation that the team could take a quarterback with its first-round choice in next week’s draft. But if the Eagles were going to do that, they probably wouldn’t have traded down from the No. 6 overall pick to No. 12. By the time they are on the clock with the No. 12 selection, all five top QB prospects could be gone.

A recent report suggested that Philadelphia could be eyeing a move back into the top-10, but that same report indicated that the team is also interested in another trade down. Further, if the Eagles were to move back up the board, it might not be for a QB at all, but for a cornerback or wide receiver.

At this point, unless Hurts should suffer an injury or spectacularly underperform during training camp, he still looks like the odds-on favorite to be the Eagles’ starting QB, Sirianni’s “open competition” remarks notwithstanding.

Eagles Could Move Up In First Round?

April 20th, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Ben Levine

After having made one blockbuster trade involving first-round picks, the Eagles might not be done. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Eagles could look to move back up in the first round.

The Eagles currently sit with the No. 12 pick in the draft, and Breer writes that the team could spend assets to move into the top-10 while still coming out ahead (when combined with their deal with the Dolphins). The writer speculates that the front office could target a cornerback in a hypothetical trade-up scenario, although Breer doesn’t discount the chances that the team would take a quarterback; this would be a significant pivot after the team selected Jalen Hurts in the second round of last year’s draft.

Alternatively, Breer hints that the Eagles are also sniffing around at trade scenarios that would see them move back even further in the first round. If the Eagles are indeed seeking a cornerback, this path would make some sense, as there’s a chance the team is perfectly fine with any of the top-three players at the position (Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain, Caleb Farley).

Either way, it sounds like the No. 12 pick could be on the block, and that particular selection has switched teams multiple times this offseason. That selection was originally owned by the 49ers, and it was sent to Miami (along with a 2021 third-rounder and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023) in a trade that brought the No. 3 pick to San Francisco. Then, Miami went and traded that No. 12 pick (plus a 2022 first-round pick) to the Eagles for No. 6 and No. 156.

NFC East Notes: Rudolph, Eagles, Cowboys

April 3rd, 2021 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Rudolph is expected to undergo foot surgery soon, and he may be in for extensive rehab. The new Giants tight end is believed to be dealing with a Lisfranc injury, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. The troublesome foot malady can be difficult to shake, but Rudolph expects to be ready for Week 1. This injury is similar to what Evan Engram dealt with in 2019. Engram underwent surgery to address his Lisfranc issue in December 2019 and was ready for training camp last year. Rudolph’s timetable is considerably more condensed, which likely led to the delay in the veteran tight end signing his Giants contract. Engram and Rudolph would give the Giants one of the NFL’s top tight end tandems, but the former’s injury history and the latter’s current issue cloud that situation to some degree.

Here is more from the NFC East:

GM Howie Roseman and Eagles scouts had differing opinions on which players to select with the team’s top two draft choices last year. The veteran GM and Eagles coaches’ preference for Jalen Reagor won out over the consensus scouts’ preference: Justin Jefferson. Roseman also veered from his scouts’ recommendation in Round 2, tabbing Jalen Hurts over safety Jeremy Chinn, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. The Eagles will bank on the latter move this season, having since traded Carson Wentz and seemingly signed Joe Flacco to back up Hurts. Chinn went to the Panthers at No. 64 — 11 picks after Hurts — and finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Going to the Vikings one pick after Reagor, Jefferson finished second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Frank Reich‘s future took a major turn in 2018, when Josh McDaniels‘ backtracking on his Colts commitment ended up re-routing the Eagles OC to Indianapolis. This came shortly after Reich played a key role in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl championship. Reich nearly saw his status change in 2017, however. A front office push for Reich’s firing existed, according to McLane, who adds Doug Pederson managed to save Reich’s job. In Wentz’s first season — a 7-9 Eagles campaign, which was also Reich’s first as Eagles OC — the team ranked 22nd in total offense. They rose to seventh in 2017, with Wentz finishing first in QBR. The Eagles, who promoted Mike Groh to replace Reich and then fired Groh after the 2019 season, have since hired Reich’s top Colts protégé (Nick Sirianni) as head coach.
Brandon Graham agreed to restructure his deal to provide the Eagles with additional cap space last month. Graham’s adjusted contract can be classified as a one-year extension, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweeting the new deal is worth nearly $20MM over two years. The Eagles converted Graham’s salaries into prorated bonuses, with the 11-year veteran set to earn barely $1MM in base salary in each of the next three seasons. The team tacked on three void years to the contract, per OverTheCap, which indicates each of Graham’s cap numbers over the life of this through-2023 contract are south of $10MM.
After hiring Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys brought both Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee over from Atlanta. The latter’s deal will be worth the veteran minimum, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). Kazee will count just $988K against the Cowboys’ cap. Attempting to return from an Achilles tear, Kazee will collect $250K guaranteed.

Jeffrey Lurie Wants Eagles To Prioritize Jalen Hurts As QB1

March 8th, 2021 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rather than the Eagles using their No. 6 overall pick to bring in a potential future franchise quarterback, Jeffrey Lurie wants his team to operate with a Jalen Hurts-centric mindset this offseason.

The longtime Eagles owner would prefer the front office build around Hurts, per Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, rather than bring in true competition for their 2020 second-round pick. The Eagles were expected to attempt to add competition for Hurts; the franchise’s focus may be shifting.

Following last month’s Carson Wentz trade, the Eagles were linked to potentially adding a first-round quarterback. Hurts started four games as a rookie, and while the ex-Alabama and Oklahoma standout provided a bit of a boost for a slumping offense late in the season, he completed 52% of his passes and struggled in his final two outings. Hurts does provide a rushing component that the Eagles did not have with Wentz, however.

Philadelphia’s quarterback situation has changed dramatically in recent weeks. The Eagles’ hiring process is believed to have taken on a Wentz-centric tone, with team brass then prioritizing a coach who could revive their since-traded passer’s career. After dealing the quarterback they once traded up for and then extended in 2019, the Eagles may well make a legitimate attempt to determine if Hurts is the answer.

Adding a quarterback at No. 6 would create true competition, but the Eagles may now be in the market for a later-round backup or veteran insurance behind Hurts. Philly could opt to add a wide receiver in Round 1 for the second straight year or auction off its pick to a QB-seeking team.

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