Eagles on the verge of a Jalen Hurts problem originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Jalen Hurts seemed to take a step back in the 2025 NFL season.
The 2026 campaign may not get easier now that the Philadelphia Eagles have traded away No. 1 WR A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots. And that could bode poorly for Hurts’ present and his future.
In a new article on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated national NFL writer Connor Orr predicts that Hurts will throw the fewest TD passes of an NFC East starting quarterback.
That’s not super bold, just requiring health from Dak Prescott and Jayden Daniels and then a bit of a step forward from Jaxson Dart.
It’s still notable, though, because the Eagles are in a division that will feature plenty of points scored, and they’ll need Hurts to keep doing that.
Yes, he often finishes drives with a short run, but his passing efficiency has to be good enough to get into those spots.
“New season, new offensive coordinator and no A.J. Brown,” Orr writes. “That means new challenges for Jalen Hurts, in addition to the old ones which never seem to have left him behind. I don’t think the Eagles will move on from Hurts after this season, but the team continues to add meaningful depth behind the Super Bowl champion.”
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That ending speculation, about the Eagles eventually finding a path forward with Hurts, is particularly fascinating.
Orr is right, because the Eagles have Tanner McKee on the rise as a backup and also drafted the athletic Cole Payton.
Hurts could stick around for the long haul in Philly, particularly if he puts together more of a statement season in 2026. If his timing and accuracy continue to be inconsistent, though, there could slowly begin to be change in the air in Philadelphia.