The Philadelphia Eagles went all-in this offseason with key additions on both sides of the ball. They brought in A.J. Brown to play alongside DeVonta Smith at wide receiver, a move that should help quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Hurts started the final four games of his rookie season, completing barely over 50% of his passes (69 of 133) with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He then entered last season as the Eagles' starting quarterback, completing 61% of his passes for 3,144 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 784 yards and 10 scores.
The third-year quarterback is hoping to build on that with his new weapons on offense, but will he?
Danny Parkins and Andrew Fillipponi discussed the range of outcomes for Jalen Hurts this season on Audacy’s “1st & Pod” NFC Preview episode.
“This is another one of these situations where I go into something with my Andrew Fillipponi, just blinders on, in-a-vacuum take on a team and I’m like I just don’t believe in Jalen Hurts,” Fillipponi said (17:25 in player above). “I just don’t see him as ever becoming a top-tier quarterback.
“And then all these small football people start polluting me and I just get beaten down by it and I just eventually say I give up, and they’re another one of those teams for me. I just had too many people who I trust say they are going to be the best team at the line of scrimmage in the entire NFL and it’s not even close,” he continued. “I look at Philly’s division and I think if you’re telling me they have the best offensive line in the NFL and they add Jordan Davis to the best defensive line in the NFL? I think they’re gonna win nine or 10 games in the NFC East no problem with that formula.”
Fillipponi isn’t alone in his thoughts regarding the Eagles quarterback.
“Same thing on Jalen Hurts. Coming out of ‘Bama, I was like not a pro. The only reason this guy’s getting a shot is because he won big games at Alabama with seven other NFL players on his offense,” Parkins said.
Fillipponi was quick to point out that Hurts got benched in one of those big games, too.
“I was very anti-Jalen Hurts. But then, same thing, you listen to people, you read about it,” Parkins continued. “You’re like OK, one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, but who are their veterans? Lane Johnson. Jason Kelce. Darius Slay. Some of the most respected people in the NFL. Oh, who’d they add? A.J. Brown. Oh, A.J. Brown’s awesome. And now I’m like, is Jalen Hurts going to throw for 4,000 and rush for 1,00? You know what I mean? Is that all of a sudden on the table?”
In 19 career starts, Hurts has thrown for 4,205 yards and ran for 1,138. In a 17-game season with the offensive weapons the Eagles have, that may be possible.
“I also think that – ‘cause Sirianni switched in the middle of last year. He tried to throw the ball with Hurts, it didn’t work, then they went super run-heavy against a bad schedule and they made the playoffs,” Fillipponi said of the Eagles finishing 6-1 down the stretch. “And it was kind of like your Bears team the year before where they feasted on cupcakes and made the playoffs that way.”
That decision to switch things up gives Fillipponi some confidence in Sirianni and the Eagles, but not necessarily in Hurts.
While Parkins wondered about Hurts’ upside this year, Fillipponi took a trip down the other path.
“The coach showed an ability, to me, to adapt. Just like John Harbaugh did when he went with Lamar Jackson,” he said. “Maybe the delta here is 40%, tops. I think with A.J. Brown, they might get to a point where they go to Minshew this year if Hurts can’t throw the ball the way they want him to. That’s my prediction. I think that could happen. I think that’s in play.”
Gardner Minshew II started two games for the Eagles last season. He went 20 of 25 for 242 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a Week 13 win against the Jets. He then struggled a bit against the Cowboys in Week 17 with the Eagles resting most of their starters.
“It’s a fascinating team because the roster’s awesome and they’re clearly making all-in moves for this year,” Parkins said. “But I agree, Hurts is still a wild card.”
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram