Getty The Eagles could sign Jalen Hurts to a big contract.
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to sign a star to a major contract.
As mentioned by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, Jalen Hurts is expected to sign a “big” contract this offseason. Hurts has just one year left on his rookie deal and has no fifth-year option as a second-round draft pick. Barnwell explains why the Eagles won’t allow Hurts to walk away.
“Hurts came into the season knowing that a subpar year might have pushed the Eagles to use some of their pick haul to go after a new quarterback in the 2023 draft,” said Barnwell. “Now, the idea of the Eagles moving on from Hurts would be absurd. With no fifth-year option as a second-round pick, Hurts will be one year from unrestricted free agency after his season ends. He’s going to be in line alongside Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert for top-of-the-line contract extensions this offseason.”
Jalen Hurts is Arguably NFL’s Most Valuable QB
Hurts established himself as an MVP candidate in a breakthrough season. The 24-year-old quarterback led the Eagles to a No. 1 seed while going 14-1 in his starts. Philadelphia went 0-2 while Hurts was sidelined due to a shoulder injury.
The former second-round draft pick threw 22 touchdowns versus six interceptions while posting 760 rushing yards, ranking fourth in the league among all quarterbacks. His 50.7 rushing yards per game ranked third, while his 13 rushing touchdowns led the next-closest player by five touchdowns.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hurts’ 85.9 offensive grade ranked fourth in the league among all quarterbacks while his rushing grade ranked sixth among players at his position.
As noted by Spotrac, Hurts’ next contract is expected to land him $44.2 million annually for a total of over $265 million across six seasons. That type of deal would make Hurts the sixth-highest paid quarterback in the league.
Hurts’ value to the Eagles is undeniable. Philadelphia relies heavily upon the running game and without a mobile quarterback, the offense just doesn’t operate the same way. With Minshew at quarterback for two games, Philadelphia averaged just 22.0 points and 77 rushing yards per game. With Hurts at quarterback, the Eagles are arguably the top offensive unit in the league, averaging 28.1 points per game — third in the league — and 147.5 rushing yards per game — fifth in the league — during the 2022 season.
Eagles’ No. 1 Priority is Signing Hurts to New Contract
As Barnwell notes, Hurts went from a terribly inaccurate quarterback during his rookie campaign in 2020 — 52 percent completion rate — to one of the more accurate passers in the league at 66.5 percent.
“The third-year sensation took a big leap for the second consecutive season, morphing from what had been one of the least accurate passers in league history as a rookie to one of the most accurate passers in 2022,” said Barnwell. “Hurts has evolved into an excellent pocket passer without even considering what value he adds as a runner; the total package amounted to a 66.4 QBR, which ranked fourth in the league.”
While the Eagles will have a number of big free agents this offseason — including James Bradberry, Javon Hargrave and Jason Kelce — signing Hurts to a contract extension is easily at the top of the to-do list.