Emergency QB options for the Eagles if Jalen Hurts struggles, suffers injury
Recent news coming out of Eagles circles surrounding Jalen Hurts isn’t good.
It didn’t take long for some of those high hopes to come crashing back down to Earth. It hasn’t mattered what the subject of the conversation was. Throughout the offseason, despite key acquisitions and an adrenaline-inducing three-day stretch during the most recent NFL Draft, every debate centered around the Philadelphia Eagles leads everyone back to the same theory. This season rests on the right arm of Jalen Hurts.
Since he arrived in the City of Brotherly Love, no one has ever questioned his ability to improvise. Ask around. There isn’t a BIrds fan that questions his mobility or whether or not he can keep plays alive. You’ll never find anyone that criticizes that aspect of his game.
The problem is this. At the professional level, while running quarterbacks are fun to watch and those last-minute drives where they showcase their ability as playmakers are good for YouTube and highlight reels, most games are decided in the same fashion. The final play always follows the same script.
The quarterback has to be able to stand in the pocket and make a throw to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
No one questions Jalen’s ability as a leader. No one questions his heart or the thinker that rests between his ears. The questions about Jalen Hurts are can he recognize what defenses are throwing at him and whether or not he can dissect those defenses consistently by throwing the football.
Then, there’s the other issue. With mobile quarterbacks, there’s always a fear of injury. Jalen missed Week 13’s game versus the New York Jets as he battled an issue with his ankle, and even though he completed the season, following Philadelphia’s final loss of the campaign, a 31-15 Wild Card Round rear-end whooping courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jalen left the game in a walking boot.
For now, he’s QB1 of the Philadelphia Eagles, but that isn’t a lifetime appointment. Two things will end his tenure, sub-par play or injury. Here are a few contingency plans if disaster strikes in 2023. Be forewarned. You probably aren’t going to like every option.