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The Philadelphia Eagles may have made a very underrated roster move by acquiring QB Garnder Minshew from the Jacksonville Jaguars, adding to a roster with Jalen Hurts and Joe Flacco already in place. Gardner Minshew lost a QB "battle" that he was never seriously going to win against the number one overall pick Trevor Lawrence. Minshew was a breakout star in 2019 when he took over for Nick Foles. In 2020, he struggled on the field with a lingering hand injury that impacted his performance. The Jaguars drafted Lawrence, a generational talent, and it was just a matter of time before they traded Gardner Minshew as he wasn't going to unseat Trevor Lawrence any time soon.
Gardner Minshew trade shows uncertainty with Jalen Hurts...and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach?
Enter the Philadelphia Eagles, who have been in deep thought on what Jalen Hurts' future holds with the team. Through three NFL preseason games, Jalen Hurts saw action only in Week 1 as the starter (3/7 for 54 yards). QB Joe Flacco played most of the preseason and played well, too. Philadelphia seems to be hinting to Jalen Hurts that his time as a starter could be in jeopardy by offering a sixth-round pick for Gardner Minshew.
So yes, the Philadelphia Eagles are still not sold on Jalen Hurts being the face of their franchise. That doesn't mean he'll be benched immediately for Flacco or Minshew, who is #3 on the depth chart. The team does have options at QB now though, if injury, COVID-19, or regression strikes Jalen Hurts. Flacco had a great preseason and showed he can still perform with success in the NFL, but he's not suited to lead Nick Sirianni's offense. It requires a smaller, more mobile and athletic player and that has never been Joe Flacco. Gardner Minshew, on the other hand, looks like a prime candidate for such a system. The Eagles do not know if he'll be more like the 2019 or 2020 Gardner Minshew, though. It would be smart not to give Minshew responsibilities on the offense before he earns them.
Jacksonville dropped the ball with Gardner Minshew
Giving up a sixth-round pick for a QB with 5,530 passing yards and 37 passing TDs in two years is a steal and says more about the dysfunction and uncertainty in Jacksonville than Philadelphia. The so-called QB competition seemed like an act to boost Minshew's trade value, which failed obviously and leaves HC Urban Meyer to be criticized for such a move. Still, Philadelphia does well to have extra options at QB, something they've been known to do over the years.
Jalen Hurts has potential, but needs to utilize it early in 2021
Jalen Hurts is still just 23 with only four career starts, even though it may feel he's played more than that. A 1-3 record isn't great and neither is a 52% completion rate, 6 TDs, and four INTs. The upside is that he's shown he can lead, the offense respects him, and he's had 300+ yards in two of his four starts. He's played much better in training camp, but he really needed the reps in the preseason regardless of the Eagles wanting to rest him to prevent an injury. Jalen Hurts' small amount of playing time in his career isn't large enough to really allow him to have a long leash as a starter and he will be under the microscope. While Gardner Minshew's arrival isn't a formal answer to Jalen Hurts losing his starting job, it does prove the Eagles feel they need to have suitable options on the depth chart. Don't bet on Philadelphia having a winning season in 2021.
Discover the Eagles QB's family. All about Jalen Hurts's parents and Jalen Hurts's girlfriend.
