Former NFL quarterback and current NBC analyst Chris Simms has been pleasantly surprised by the performance of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2021.
Ahead of each year, Simms assembles a countdown of the top 40 quarterbacks in the NFL, which is typically a pretty good look at the league's best signal callers. However, Simms left Hurts off the list altogether before the 2021 season, which understandably angered some Eagles fans. (For what it's worth, Hurts checked in at No. 28 on the Audacy Sports preseason countdown of the NFL's top quarterbacks.)
But late last week, Simms admitted in an episode of "PFT Live" that he's come around on Hurts, both because of how the second-year pro has performed on the field and because of some of the intangibles that he's demonstrated.
"... Hey, before the year, yeah -- Jalen Hurts has proven me wrong, there's no doubt.
"I didn't think he would be able to run to the capacity that he's been able to run. He's a better runner than I gave him credit for, there's no doubt.
"And throwing, like you said, it's good enough. Yeah, is it Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers? No, and it's never gonna be. But if you formulate the right offense around him, man, it's tough to beat him.
"He's got a lot of things to like. I love the way he handles himself. The team is going to love him for the fact that the coach can yell at him and do that. That's only going to make the rest of the team better when you have a quarterback that can take it on the chin and keep on going."
Simms says that the Eagles would be wise to emulate what the Baltimore Ravens did after Lamar Jackson's rookie year, when Eric DeCosta, John Harbaugh and the organization pushed all their chips to the center of the table and built a team that best suited the strengths of their young quarterback.
"... I think you're right as far as, I went from 'I don't think Jalen Hurts can be your future in Philadelphia' to where I'm getting to the point where I go 'Oh no, wait -- Jalen Hurts is the future and now you kind of need to go all in and go all Baltimore style.' You do."
While no one is suggesting that Hurts is as talented of a rusher as Jackson is, it's clearly a strength for the former second-round pick. The Eagles have become of the league's top rushing attacks in 2021, without a Pro Bowl-caliber running back.
Simms believes that in addition to adding another wide receiver opposite DeVonta Smith this offseason, the Eagles would be wise to add an impact running back via the draft or free agency.
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Notably, the Ravens signed Mark Ingram II ahead of Jackson's second season. While he spent just two seasons in Baltimore, Ingram averaged five yards a carry and scored 15 total touchdowns in 2019. Ingram helped the Ravens to build a ferocious rushing attack led by Jackson, who would win the NFL MVP in 2019.
Will Hurts be the MVP in 2022? Probably not. But could the Eagles win the NFC East and potentially make a playoff run if they continue to add more offensive talent around Hurts this offseason? That seems possible.
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