While Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts got a nice compliment in the latest NFL QB rankings from a survey run by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, where Hurts ended up still doesn't sit well with the fan base.
Fowler spoke with NFL executives, scouts, and coaches who ranked Hurts as the league's 17th-best quarterback. This led the ESPN reporter to hop on local Philly sports media to explain why he was ranked so low.
"There is a great deal of respect in the league for Jalen Hurts, for his intangibles, for his toughness," Fowler said via 97.5 The Fanatic. "He throws a great deep ball, and he does a lot of things well... This is an exercise in fear. Fear in the NFL is currency. Do you fear your opponent? When you gameplan against the Eagles' offense, does Hurts keep you up at night? To be a top QB, you have to be number one on that scouting report. When you play the Eagles, it's Saquon Barkley and the running game... That is not to diminish Hurts. But he doesn't have the same fear factor as the top guys. I am a little surprised that he is as low as he is. But in the simplest form, the Eagles were in the bottom third in passing offense the last two years. It is hard to have a top 12, even a top 15 QB, with that metric."
Can Eagles fans accept the explanation regarding Jalen Hurts' ranking?
Some truth can be found in what Fowler said: the Eagles have been more of a running team over the years, so defensive game plans focus on stopping Saquon Barkley and outmatching the offensive line. If the Eagles can be one-dimensional, that is an advantage.
The disrespect is present, as Hurts is a nightmare matchup for defenses as well. He has enough accuracy to get the ball where it needs to be and has proven to be one of the best deep ball passers in the NFL. Another element to his game is that he's athletic and can use his legs to pick up yards or give his receivers time to get open.
Hurts continues to get punished because his passing yards don't match what the top quarterbacks are doing, but he's not the one calling the plays. Aside from last year, he has posted a completion percentage over 65% three times in the last four years. He's efficient when he needs to throw the ball, but the offense has called for more runs.
Read more: An unlikely Eagles rival surprisingly came to Jalen Hurts' defense
It's become a part of Hurts and the Eagles fans' lives that he is going to face unfair criticism no matter what. He's got a chance to shut down the narratives in the 2026 season in a brand-new offense that should feature more passing.
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