In case you missed it, we’ve been following along with ESPN’s positional ranking series here at Bleeding Green Nation. The latest NFL insider survey article features a topic that’s probably bound to generate a disagreement or two: quarterbacks!
Last year, the combination of 80ish executives, coaches, coordinators, and scouts ranked Jalen Hurts as the sixth best quarterback in the league. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles QB is not considered to be a top 10 player at his position.
Hurts was instead included in the “honorable mentions” section, along with Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins, and Trevor Lawrence. Here’s the write-up on him:
After a Year 3 star turn that garnered a Super Bowl appearance and a $255 million contract, Hurts’ play dipped in 2023. His QBR ranking fell from fourth (68.3) to 12th (60.1). His 15 interceptions were so uncharacteristic that the total nearly matched that of his first three years combined (18). A knee injury that he tried his best to manage clearly affected him, according to several evaluators.
“He was playing hurt,” an NFC executive said. “The Eagles tried to downplay that, but he didn’t look right. He wasn’t the same runner he was in the past, and passing the ball was tough for him.” Added an AFC scout: “He’ll always be in that 7-12 range, depending on how productive he is each year.”
Also of note: The Eagles’ offense “became stale” as a whole, according to a high-ranking NFL team official, and the predictable offensive attack affected Hurts’ stock.
Jeremy Fowler, who ultimately conducted this NFL insider survey, was asked why Hurts dropped out of the top 10 during a broadcast appearance:
“Injuries and bad offense, it’s pretty simple. Executives point out to me that Jalen Hurts did not look right last year. The Eagles can downplay any knee issues he was dealing with in-season, he wasn’t really on the injury report in some cases, but they felt like he just wasn’t moving the same, couldn’t do that dual-threat ability that he’s so good at with the offense. And then Nick Sirianni’s attack with Philly last year was just not very good. They were in a situation where they kind of rolled the ball out, tried to do what they did the year before, teams adjusted, the Eagles didn’t evolve, and Hurts was in a position where he wasn’t highlighted. I will point out that a lot of voters say that, even though he’s very good, he’s never going to be a top five quarterback in the eyes of a lot of evaluators. He’s sort of in that 7-to-13 range depending on how he does that [given] year.
If we’re to take these explanations as canon, there’s reason for optimism. Hurts should be healthier this season. There’s also a chance that new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can help him more than Sirianni/Brian Johnson did last year. Perhaps we see a player much closer to his 2022 near-MVP form.
However, it’s also possible he stagnates and turns out to be the pretty good but not flat out great player that some insiders think he’ll turn out to be. If that comes to pass, he’ll be more of a high-level “win with” quarterback than “win because of” quarterback that the Eagles are paying Hurts, who is the sixth-highest annually paid player at his position, to be. QB purgatory is not a place you want to reside; just ask anyone who’s had to root for the aforementioned Kirk Cousins.
Of course, it’s a bit premature to assert that Hurts has already reached his ceiling. He’s still only 25 (turns 26 on August 7) and we’ve seen him play at not only a regular season MVP level but also a Super Bowl MVP kind of level. It’d hardly be shocking if next year’s ESPN polling considers him to be a top 10 QB again.
How are you feeling about Hurts entering the 2024 season? Vote in the polls below and scroll down to the comments to weigh in.
