Getty Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has his team one step closer to a playoff berth.
Jalen Hurts is having surgery to repair a high ankle sprain in his left leg. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is expected to be “fully recovered” in time for organized team activities in April, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelisserro.
Hurts first hurt his ankle on November 28 against the New York Giants when Boston Scott mistakenly stepped on his foot. He only missed one game due to the injury, but it was clearly bothering him down the stretch. Hurts wasn’t able to move around as well in the pocket and it affected his rushing numbers. The dual-threat quarterback ran for only 128 yards post-injury, compared to 695 yards prior to going down.
According to SportsRadio 94WIP’s Howard Eskin, Hurts’s surgery is a “minor procedure” and no one believes it will have any long-term implications. That’s good news for a guy set to get the keys to the franchise. Eagles brass — Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni — have already declared him the starter for the 2022 campaign.
“We talk about Jalen and the growth he had, really as a first-year starter and second-year player and leading this team to the playoffs. I’m tremendously impressed by his work ethic and his leadership,” Roseman told reporters on January 19. “The last time we talked was during camp and we said we wanted to see him take the bull by the horn, and he certainly did that.”
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Brandon Graham Unsure of Eagles QB Situation
Defensive end Brandon Graham said he’s “never sold” on what the Eagles are thinking at the quarterback position. He has heard all the trade rumors and knows the team is scouting rookie signal-callers at the Senior Bowl. For all those reasons, the Pro Bowl pass rusher remains skeptical about the team being fully committed to Hurts moving forward.
“I’m never sold because you never know,” Graham told SportsRadio 94WIP. “You know, you just never know what the organization is thinking and which way they want to go. But, I do feel like he’s young. He’s somebody who comes in and works, and I think it’s all about who you put him with it.
“That’s really who it’s about, how you evolve as a player, the evaluation, every day what he goes through. I like what he brings to the table. It’s just all about playing to his strengths. I’m excited for this draft, see who we get and see what happens, but it’s never 100 percent, especially with Howie.”
Graham’s comments, specifically about Roseman, carry extra weight since he’s a team captain and veteran leader. You could argue that Graham is the most respected voice in the locker room, outside of Jason Kelce.
Jason Kelce Skipping Pro Bowl
Kelce has decided to sit out the 2022 Pro Bowl due to an undisclosed reason. He was elected to be a starter in what would have been his fourth appearance in the NFL’s annual all-star game which takes place on February 6 at 3 p.m. Javon Hargrave, Jake Elliott, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay are the other players set to represent the Eagles in Las Vegas.
While Kelce didn’t immediately list a reason why he’s bailing out, he’s probably just tired. The Pro Bowl is a rather meaningless contest. It was a long season for the 34-year-old who fought through knee, ankle, and foot injuries in 2021. He still played in every single game to extend his consecutive starts streak to 122 games.