Through three weeks, Jalen Hurts has proven to be an underrated quarterback. More importantly, he has the Eagles sitting at 3-0.
Since reaching the pinnacle of the NFL with a Super Bowl win in 2017, the Philadelphia Eagles have been stuck in the winds of mediocrity, digging for the last dynamic piece to their rebuilding puzzle.
However, it appears that the missing piece could be directly in front of them. Three weeks into the NFL season, quarterback Jalen Hurts has presented the tools required for the Eagles to contend now, despite an uncertain beginning to his career.
Last year’s NFL.com rankings pegged Hurts as the 17th-best QB in the league. Former player and commentator Chris Simms controversially had him ranked 25th. Even into this year, Hurts wasn’t getting much appreciation; Madden 23 handed the QB an initial overall rating of 74, which has already risen by one point.
Right now, the Eagles look like the best team in the NFC. They’re ranked sixth in the league power rankings, with Hurts’ evolution as the primary catalyst. Big-play weapons surround the young signal-caller, who has shown improvements in reading the defense, become more patient in making progression reads, and has produced accurate passes. The team emphasizes a well-disciplined defense, constructed due to the team-friendly nature of Hurts’ rookie deal.
Individually, Hurts has had a red-hot to start the season. Look no further than his assertive exhibition against the Vikings last Monday. He went 26-of-31 passing for 333 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and 57 rushing yards with a pair of rushing TDs. While he wasn’t quite as accurate in Week 3 against Washington, Hurts still threw for a season-high three touchdowns without allowing an interception.
Hurts evolves each week into a player that every NFL team needs.
He’s a natural-born leader who silences external noise and continues working despite criticism. He’s demonstrated a hunger to improve in a gritty city that commands perfection. And Hurts embraces that challenge rather than runs away, much like fellow Philly phenom Allen Iverson. Plus, the combination of Hurts’ football junkie mentality in the film room with his improving arm and rapid speed almost certainly guarantees on-field success.
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Jalen Hurts Salary and Contract Details
Contract length: 4 years
Total value: $6,025,171
Average annual value (AAV): $1,506,293
Free agency: 2024
As Hurts continues to improve, he’ll expect his bank account to do the same near extension time. The longer the organization waits, the more money he’ll earn in a salary cap that increased 14.08% since last year and continues to rise to new heights, with quarterbacks benefitting the most. Just look at Kyler Murray and Josh Allen, who’ve both capitalized on signing lucrative rookie extensions after exhibiting uniform performances.
Luckily for the Eagles, the expedited maturation shines just three years into Hurts’ four-year rookie contract. Paying less than $2 million yearly for his services gives the team time to collect more supporting talent. Currently, the Eagles have the bulk of their funds tied to complementary pieces in the offensive line, defense, and passing targets. Even backup QB Garder Minshew has a higher base salary than Hurts at $2,540,000, further highlighting his contractual value.
The Eagles have Hurts’ leadership, a collective of explosive talent that believes in him, a creative coaching staff, and a front office that knows how to win. Despite NFL pundits questioning his abilities to be a franchise player, all the stars are aligning for Philadelphia to make a deep run into the playoffs.
And to the organization, Hurts’ development wasn’t a surprise. It was part of the plan.
The Eagles were well aware that Hurts could develop into the QB of their future. In fact, the team knew in training camp that the perfect storm of Hurts’ progression, team synergy, and elite coaching could take the team far.
“He’s continuing to grow every single day, every game,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said in his press conference. “We saw it in the spring. It carried over into training camp. And we’re in Week [Three] — he knows that — and he played well. And we’ve got to continue to play well individually, collectively, everybody — coaches included. We’ve got a lot of football ahead of us.”
Jalen Hurts’ Incentives & Bonuses
*Workout bonuses are defined as payment for attending an agreed-upon percentage of off-season workouts. Per NFL Media, teams cannot exceed 84.3% of the team’s scheduled workouts.
- $75,000 workout bonus in 2022.
- $100,000 workout bonus in 2023.
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