PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to draft Jalen Hurts in 2020 involved as much hand-wringing as intrigue over how to use the talented Heisman Trophy finalist. The Eagles had already signed quarterback Carson Wentz for $128 million. They certainly had more pressing needs on all sides of the ball back then.
Three seasons later, in Philly, there’s no doubt drawing Hurts was the right thing to do.
Hurts would win any poll of Philadelphia’s most popular athletes these days — well, it’s football season — and the third-year quarterback has the Eagles just one win away from their second Super Bowl win in franchise history.
It turned out the Eagles were built on the strength of a QB who still had his tenuous rookie deal. He is a finalist for AP NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and has a franchise record for 33 total touchdowns.
At just 24, Hurts has a Super Bowl — and super riches — ahead of him. He’s facing a new contract that will net him about $50 million a season, which could rival Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes’ mammoth 10-year contract, which has choked the team’s salary cap. The Chiefs have been creative in finding ways to remain at the elite level despite Mahome’s salary. The Eagles must do the same.
General Manager Howie Roseman has been adept at getting the right moves on drafts, trades, and smart contracts lately. If the Eagles are to remain contenders in the same window the Chiefs opened with Mahomes, Roseman must be just as adept at editing the salary cap and finding gems in the draft.
The future can wait until February 13th. On the deck of the Super Bowl.
“We want to go out there and play to our standard,” Hurts said. “That doesn’t change no matter how big the game is.”
The Eagles offseason has already gotten off to an amazing start. Roseman struck a 2022 draft weekend deal with New Orleans that included all of the draft picks — specifically, the Eagles would get the Saints’ first-round pick in 2023. Hey the Saints should be pretty good and a pick in the 20’s would have been good. Instead, the Saints dropped (despite defeating the Eagles) and Philadelphia is drafted No. 10. Not bad for a Super Bowl team. The Eagles can only hope they can enlist a star player who could keep them as a championship contender for another decade.
However, chances are they won’t stun anyone and pick a quarterback this time.
OFFENSE
Did someone say steal? Roseman outmaneuvered the Titans during the 2022 draft when he engineered a deal to get wide receiver AJ Brown.
Upset with his Tennessee contract, the Eagles sent two draft picks for Brown to the Titans and immediately gave him a four-year, $100 million contract with a $57 million guarantee. Brown was well worth the price and his playmaking skills only brought out the best in Hurts’ playmaking. The two are close friends and their chemistry is evident on the field.
He had 155 yards receiving in his Eagles debut and went on to roll as many as 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season. He surpassed Mike Quick’s 1,409 yards in 1983 for the Eagles’ single-season high.
On the other side of the field, DeVonta Smith put up similar bold numbers. Smith, a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, ended his second NFL season with 95 catches, the most by a wide receiver in team history.
Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson anchored the offensive line for a decade. Miles Sanders was a second-round pick who had 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Dallas Goedert has blossomed into one of the top tight ends in the league and made the offense one of the most dynamic in the league.
DEFENSE
Did someone say steal, part II? Haason Reddick signed a three-year, $45 million deal guaranteed $30 million. It was one of the greatest seasonal performances in the club’s history. He had 16 sacks and 3½ more in the playoffs to beat the Eagles. Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox are 10+ year veterans who helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Elliott, a fifth-round pick in 2017, has held off this season as Philadelphia’s fourth-round aggressiveness has kept him from putting up big field-goal numbers. Elliott at least scored extra points automatically, missing just one this season. It almost seems ridiculous that it’s worth mentioning, but Dallas kicker Brett Maher missed an extra five points in the postseason.
The Eagles this week activated the 21-day practice window for punter Arryn Siposs to return from injured reserve. Siposs had been sidelined with an ankle injury since mid-December. The Eagles have since fielded veteran Brett Kern. Siposs could be activated before Kern for the Super Bowl.
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