Could Alex Smith be a mentor for Jalen Hurts? It makes sense if you think about it. The Washington Football team is expected to cut the veteran quarterback at the beginning of the league year according to NFL.com, and the Philadelphia Eagles, if they’re smart, should have some interest in bringing last year’s Comeback Player of the Year in as a backup. It’s that simple.
The former WFT quarterback could provide mentorship and guidance for Jalen Hurts, and the wisdom he’d bring to Philly’s quarterback room would be invaluable. It’s as simple as that.
Here’s a little background info if you’re a Philadelphia Eagles fan.
Smith was the comeback story of the year last season and maybe the last few seasons as he fought his way back onto the playing field after 17 surgeries and nearing death. All of the viewing public, regardless of their fan affiliation, held their breath as he was inserted back into the lineup at quarterback for Washington in their game versus the Los Angeles Rams.
The seasoned vet didn’t win on that occassion, but he did give his team a new attitude which helped carry them to the playoffs. The other ‘Number 11’ may not be the same quarterback he was a couple of years ago, but he still can get the best out of his team and teammates.
The Philadelphia Eagles have an opportunity to mold their young quarterback.
Everybody knows how crazy talented Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is, which has led him to a lot of success in a short amount of time. Mahomes, however, credits a lot of his success to his former KC teammate, one Alex Smith. He was the starting quarterback of the Chiefs when the team made the decision to draf Mahomes in 2017.
Instead of being bitter, an attitude that we see from so many veterans these days, Smith took Mahomes under his wing and showed him how to prepare for the action on the field and off of it. Check out this quote from Zach Selby of the Washington Football Team.
"It wasn’t just the schematic part of being in the NFL that Mahomes learned from Smith, although that was certainly a large portion of it. It also included everything else that came with being a successful player and person, such as his diet, workout plan, and how to get his family acclimated to life in the NFL."
Selby also writes that Smith also showed Mahomes “how to properly construct game plans before Sundays” and taught him the ropes on “knowing what film to watch and when to watch it.” Here’s a quote from Mahomes.
"It was stuff that takes your full career to learn, and he taught me that in my first year and it’s helped me have success at such an early age."
In the article, Selby also mentions how Smith mentored Mahomes on NFL defenses and not just the basics of it.
"All the while, Smith was giving Mahomes veteran insight on how to read NFL defenses. It wasn’t just the basics around reading coverages, either. It was looking at defensive fronts for minute details to see which player was about to blitz."
Perhaps it was Mahomes that said it best. “Those little things that I learned are invaluable”.
This is the same type of knowledge that Smith could give Hurts if the Eagles were to add the veteran as a backup quarterback. Hurts needs someone who has been through the ringer so to speak to help mentor him, and no offense to Carson Wentz, but he wasn’t going to be that guy, especially when he was struggling himself.
The Philadelphia Eagles should absolutely take a look at Alex Smith
Smith’s mentorship could help Hurts become a more consistent quarterback, which was something he struggled with during the 2020-2021 campaign. That’s to be expected. He was a rookie, but Hurts should be able to develop both as a passer and a runner under Alex Smith. Some of you may not know this, but The former San Francisco 49ers, Chiefs, and WFT quarterback rushed for 2,604 yards over the course of his 14-year career.
Smith without question would be an asset to Philadelphia as he would almost be like having another coach on the sideline and in the meeting room for Hurts. He’s also a good guy to have in the locker room. This is a move that’s definitely worth considering if you’re the Philadelphia Eagles.