The Philadelphia Eagles are in a tough spot early in the 2026 campaign, as they have been battered by injuries across the board. Easily the most consequential absence the team is dealing with, though, involves star quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is out for the rest of the season due to a scary battle with blood clots.
While the focus is obviously on Hurts’ health off the football field, there are serious questions about his future with the Eagles as they continue to labor through the season. According to an anonymous NFL general manager, though, it sounds like Philadelphia may have already been planning to move on from Hurts, even before his blood clot issues came to light.
Jalen Hurts’ Eagles Future Comes Into Focus
Hurts is in his seventh pro season, all of which have been spent with the Eagles. During his time in town, he has turned himself into one of the better quarterbacks in the league, and of course, he led Philly to victory in Super Bowl LIX. With the offense falling apart in 2023 and 2025, though, and the team struggling during Hurts’ limited time on the field early this season, it hasn’t truly committed to him moving forward.
In his five games this year, Hurts was decent (89/154, 933 YDS, 8 TD, 3 INT), but he will end the year with just a 2-3 record, thanks in large part to the offense’s woes. There are a handful of issues that Philadelphia needs to address, but it’s fair to wonder if the team actually wants Hurts to remain its quarterback past this year.
The 2027 campaign will be the final year of Hurts’ five-year, $255 million contract that he signed in 2023, and it’s worth noting that there is no guaranteed money left on this deal, so the Eagles could conceivably move on from Hurts without any sort of financial repercussions. That’s certainly a discussion now that Hurts is out indefinitely, but it sounds like the team was already considering his future before his battle with blood clots.
“This was already the end for Hurts,” one GM said, per Jason La Canfora of Casino Guru. “Howie was looking for his next guy. No guaranteed money left on his deal, no contract extension. He was ready to move off of Hurts. You know those guys, they go through coaches. (Doug) Pederson won the Super Bowl and was gone two years later. I didn’t think they were coming back before all the Hurts (injury) stuff came out.”
What Should the Eagles Do With Jalen Hurts?
Right now, all anyone in Philadelphia is concerned about is Hurts’ health and well-being. But at some point, serious discussions will need to be had about the quarterback decision. Reports indicate that the Eagles seriously scouted the 2026 quarterback class, and with Hurts’ future now somewhat murky, that could provide even more of an incentive for the team to find a new long-term answer.
In the immediate future, Philly is intent on finding a way to salvage this season, but if it continues to lose, it could decide to kick the tires and begin a rebuild that eventually leads to Hurts’ departure. The Eagles could desperately use a win in Week 7, but they will have their work cut out for them against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
Anonymous GM Claims Eagles Are Plotting Unexpected Jalen Hurts Move