Getty Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings participates in warmups prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 01, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Vikings 41-17. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was arguably one shoulder sprain away from winning NFL MVP honors in 2022. He was that good as evidenced by the $255 million contract extension he inked in April which made him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time.
Hurts is the new face of the franchise. And his profile keeps rising nationally after Hurts’ No. 1 jersey was the highest-selling item for the month of June. He can seemingly do no wrong these days and players on rival squads have taken notice. Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson ranked Hurts No. 4 on a list of the best quarterbacks in the game right now.
The funny part? The three-time Pro Bowler omitted his own quarterback, Kirk Cousins, from the list. Jefferson said: “Gotta respect his game in bringing Philly to the championship.”
Justin Jefferson names Jalen Hurts in his Top 5 #flyeaglesfly “gotta respect his game taking Philly to the championship”
Hurts has been the topic of much conversation this offseason as people debate whether he was a one-hit wonder or the next big thing. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 7 in their list of top quarterbacks, putting him right behind Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson.
They wrote the following about Hurts:
Hurts was phenomenal in 2022, but the hardest part of that kind of play in the NFL is sustaining it. Lamar Jackson one spot above him is a great example of that. Hurts has taken big steps forward every season of his career, and if he has another one in the tank, then he is ranked too low at No. 7. Hurts averaged 8.0 yards per attempt last season and added almost 800 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
The @Eagles star QB @JalenHurts is the number one selling jersey in June! 🦅
Dallas Goedert Ranks Jalen Hurts at No. 2
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is admittedly a bit biased when it comes to his starting quarterback. He loves what Jalen Hurts brings to the table as the team’s unquestioned leader and as a dual-threat player. Goedert called his teammate the No. 2 quarterback in the NFL behind only Patrick Mahomes.
“I think Jalen has to be at the top,” Goedert told Barstool Sports Pardon My Take show. “If you don’t, you’re just trying to use his name. You can say he’s got good talent around him. No, he’s a dog. He’s really good. I think he should be top three, top two.
“It’s hard to take anything away from Patrick. You go down that list and there are probably 10 quarterbacks that could be in the top five. Depends on what fan base you are. But personally speaking, Jalen is in the top two.”
Jalen Hurts: top 2 QB? @goedert33
Good Spring, No Ceiling
Jalen Hurts has improved every single year of his career, and his head coach expects another jump in his fourth year in the National Football League. There is absolutely no ceiling on Hurts after an excellent spring.
“That’s what we talk about with Jalen all the time. I don’t know what his ceiling is because he just keeps getting better, and he’s going to continue to do that,” Nick Sirianni told reporters on June 8. “So, I’ve seen that same jump, the speed with which he makes the decision, the accuracy of his throws. He’s really had a good spring.”