Jalen Hurts is the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He’ll head into 2022 training camp with a full vote of confidence from the front office and coaching staff.
Hurts took the “bull by the horn” in his first year as the starter. Now the 23-year-old has earned the opportunity to be “the guy” next season. Head coach Nick Sirianni said it. General manager Howie Roseman reiterated it. Hurts will remain atop the quarterback depth chart in Philadelphia.
“Jalen knows where he stands with us. He knows he’s our quarterback,” Sirianni told reporters. “How do you know where you stand with a coaching staff? Because you communicate and you talk over and over and over again, and so Jalen knows where he stands with us. I thought he did a great job of getting better throughout the year as we’ve talked about and so there are no secrets there. He knows he’s our guy.”
“He knows he’s our quarterback.” – Coach Sirianni on @JalenHurts
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Jalen Reagor Downgraded to No. 3 WR
Sirianni revealed that the wide receiver depth chart has already been shaken. DeVonta Smith will return as the No. 1 target, with Quez Watkins snaking the No. 2 spot from Jalen Reagor who greatly underperformed in his sophomore year. Reagor will enter training camp as the No. 3 guy while Greg Ward Jr. retains his No. 4 role.
Nick Sirianni didn’t mince words: “We want more production from Jalen Reagor and he has the talent.” He referred to him as the No. 3 receiver. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
“I feel really good about the wide receiver group as a whole. I think you have a No. 1 guy in DeVonta Smith,” Sirianni said. “I think he’s a No. 1 receiver and he’s continuing to get better. Why do I think he’s a No. 1 receiver? Because he can consistently win one-on-one, he can get the ball into his hands and make plays with the ball in his hands, maybe on a short pass. He catches everything. There aren’t a lot of true No. 1 receivers in the NFL and I think we have one.”
Sirianni also gave a nice shout-out to J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for his hard work as a blocker and on special teams. The Eagles appear fully confident in the receivers on the roster, so making a run at Calvin Ridley or Davante Adams might not be in the cards.
Updates on Brandon Brooks, Brandon Graham
There is a report floating around the internet about Brandon Brooks announcing his retirement. The Pro Bowl right guard suffered a chest injury (pec strain) in Week 2 against San Francisco and never returned to the field. Roseman wouldn’t confirm or deny the retirement rumors, but he did say the two met at the end of the season.
Howie Roseman on Brandon Brooks: “It was important for us to make sure he ended the season healthy.” The two met at the end of the year, but that was the extent of the update. Roseman wouldn’t confirm rumors that Brooks is preparing to retire. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Meanwhile, Brandon Graham ruptured an Achilles tendon in the same game and immediately hit season-ending IR. The vocal leader of the defense stuck around the locker room to fire up his teammates, but the rehab process has been ongoing. The 33-year-old is expected to return in 2022.
“We miss BG. We miss BG the player. And there’s nobody who can replace BG the person and the leader that he is as well,” Roseman said. “We know he’s attacking this rehab, we see him every day around here, and he’s got a chip on his shoulder. We do see a role for him going forward and we do see him back next year.”
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Nick Sirianni Shakes Up Eagles’ Depth Chart, Starter Demoted