Getty Jalen Hurts finished 17-of-29 for 199 yards and two touchdowns versus New York on December 26, 2021.
Jalen Hurts seems content to bet on himself and ride out his rookie contract. He’s entrenched as the starter, yet the long-term financial commitment remains off in the distance as the dual-threat quarterback enters Year 3.
The Philadelphia Eagles have taken a wait-and-see approach with Hurts. No one has questioned his intangibles or character, but concerns abound over his quarterbacking skills. Things like arm strength, pocket presence, accuracy, and decision-making. Neither side seems ready to take a seat at the negotiating table until those questions are answered.
“We have Jalen Hurts, who’s a 23-year-old quarterback, who led his team to the playoffs, and he’s going to get better and better and better,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said. “He’s going to do everything possible to get better, and we have to do our part in that.”
Thanking God for another year around the Sun. Truly grateful for all the Birthday wishes! Kobe Year!
The Eagles did their part by surrounding Hurts with weapons, none bigger than Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown. It’s up to him to reward their faith and prove he’s the franchise quarterback. Those guys don’t “grow on trees,” as legendary NFL agent Leigh Steinberg told Heavy. He should know, too. Steinberg has represented some elite signal-callers from Troy Aikman to Patrick Mahomes.
“Ultimately what it comes down to is, if not him then who? In other words, it’s all fine to have doubts and to take one’s time in evaluation, but at the end of the day again these quarterbacks don’t grow on trees,” Steinberg told Heavy. “It’s really hard to find them and if you’re not going to commit to this incumbent [quarterback], I mean if you commit and he turns out not to flourish, that’s a problem. But one of the keys is having stability at the quarterback position so that signing a quarterback long-term sends a message to all the incumbent players and everyone else that this is our guy, and you don’t have any controversy about that.”
It’s a delicate balance, though. If Hurts comes out and lights it up in 2022, then his price is going to skyrocket. The Eagles should be in the process of finding good comps for Hurts. Derek Carr has been mentioned. Kyler Murray, too.
Leigh Steinberg comparing Jalen Hurts to other recent QB contracts: “You could take his comp is Dak Prescott, or you could take the comp as [Deshaun] Watson’s last contract. Where does he sit? Who do you compare him to? That’s how you do veteran contracts.” #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Steinberg threw another name into the mix: Dak Prescott. The Dallas Cowboys inked Prescott to a four-year, $160 million in 2021 after two years of very public negotiations.
“So, we’ll see. I think it makes sense to take an extended look from the perspective of the player themselves. It all depends on their internal psyche,” Steinberg said. “I mean a self-confident person is going to be fine, it’s not like the player’s not being paid. And every quarterback’s contract is going to get larger than the one before.”
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Hurts Figures to Get Better with More Snaps
Steinberg has represented eight former No. 1 overall picks and 12 Hall of Famers during his 48 years in the industry. Yes, he’s a living legend and the quarterback whisperer of sports agents.
He presented Warren Moon for enshrinement in Canton. So, hearing Steinberg evaluate Hurts shouldn’t fall on deaf ears. His voice is an important one when discussing a potential contract extension and Hurts’ career trajectory.
“The first thing to say is that Jalen Hurts figures to get better and better. So much of a quarterback’s efficiency is based on how many times they’ve seen the field,” Steinberg said. “So the more they play, if they’ve got the talent, the better they’ll get. Because the decision-making gets better. And we’ve been sort of fooled about the normal quarterback progression by the fast start of like a Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert, right?
“In other words, it’s not supposed to be that easy. It’s supposed to be a developmental process where the player throws interceptions he won’t throw again, or he makes poor decisions that he learns from, and all the rest of it.”
Defining the Term ‘Franchise Quarterback’
The “eye test” is a term sometimes thrown on franchise quarterbacks. Throw the stats out. Can the player do it on the biggest stage? And in the most critical moments? The jury is still out on Hurts. He lost his first and only playoff game, although he was going up against Tom Brady in that one. The Eagles were also playing with house money.
Still, Hurts didn’t have a good outing and the wild-card performance has clouded perceptions throughout the offseason. Steinberg wasn’t about to dissect the tape, but he was quick to define what a franchise quarterback is. There are certain clues to extract from every game, especially when the lights are the hottest.
“So here ultimately is the dilemma: in judging that incumbent quarterback, in trying to project whether he’s a franchise quarterback,” Steinberg said. “And let’s define that as someone you can build a team around for 10 to 12 years, someone you can win because of rather than with. And, importantly, someone who in critical circumstances, like he’s thrown a couple of interceptions, the crowd is booing, the center’s looking at the quarterback like he’s on hallucinogens, what does he do now? Can he compartmentalize and adopt a quiet mind and elevate his level of play to take you to and through victory? That’s the magic ingredient in contemporary pro football for the franchise quarterback.”
Asked about any motivation rooted from team’s playoff loss to the Buccaneers, Jalen Hurts concludes his first press conference of 2022 training camp: “That’s a feeling I haven’t forgot.” #Eagles
Has Hurts shown that “magic ingredient” over his first 19 NFL starts? That’s the $160 million question.
Steinberg added: “But the problem is, if you take the snapshot too early, you’re not going to get it fully developed.”