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The Philadelphia Eagles have put Jalen Hurts through an obstacle course to become the next starting quarterback for the Eagles.
The Eagles traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts and moved back to the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, indicating that Hurts would be the starter in 2021.
But new Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has not yet named Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback. According to ESPN's Adam Shefter, the Eagles quarterback position is an open competition. Sirianni has only had two virtual meetings since becoming the head coach with Hurts and the rest of the Eagles.
Adam Schefter also stated that Nick Sirianni isn't ready to name a starter at any position. This should slightly frustrate Jalen Hurts because the Eagles have given him every indication that he will be under center in their 2021 NFL season opener but are yet to make it official.
Why are the Philadelphia Eagles not naming Jalen Hurts their starting QB?
There could be several reasons as to why the Philadelphia Eagles aren't announcing Hurts as the official starter for 2021.
For starters, Jalen Hurts is entering his second season in the NFL. He has started only four games for the Eagles and has posted an overall record of (1-3).
Four quarterbacks from the 2020 NFL draft made at least four starts during their rookie season. When comparing passing stats from the four quarterbacks, it shows that Hurts isn't far behind and he had fewer starts. Jalen Hurts had 10 fewer starts than Justin Herbert, six fewer starts than Joe Burrow, and five fewer starts than Tua Tagovailoa.
Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow showed why the Chargers and Bengals selected them in the top 10 of the 2020 NFL draft. Tua Tagovailoa started five more games than Hurts but didn't blow him away on the stat sheet. The only two categories in which Hurts led the three other rookie quarterbacks were interceptions and the longest pass play.
The Philadelphia Eagles have the option of selecting a quarterback in the second round. Kyle Trask and Davis Mills both could potentially fall into the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. This could be another reason why the Eagles are yet to name Hurts the starter.
Three reasons why the Eagles need to name Jalen Hurts the starting quarterback for 2021
The Philadelphia Eagles are walking a fine line with Jalen Hurts. There are three reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles need to make Jalen Hurts their starting quarterback sooner rather than later.
#1 - Confidence
Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders spoke to the media about Jalen Hurts' confidence and had this to say:
"His confidence level is through the roof, and thats what I really like about him, especially being a rookie... We don't really know what's going through his head, but he doesn't really show any weaknesses. I love his confidence."
Not naming Hurts the starting quarterback could easily lower his confidence level. It could further plummet if the Philadelphia Eagles draft a quarterback and make it a positional battle in training camp. If the Eagles do not draft a quarterback and start veteran Joe Flacco, it could also impact Hurts' confidence as well.
Philadelphia Eagles players have already jumped on the Hurts bandwagon and it's now time for the coaching staff to follow suit.
#2 - The locker room morale
The locker room is 100% behind Jalen Hurts and has been behind him since he took over the starting spot last year.
Not to mention the reaction the Eagles received after benching their rookie quarterback against Washington in the season finale. One of the most important skills that a quarterback has is leadership and Hurts has already showcased it.
With the locker room behind him and his confidence level at an all-time high, the Eagles need to make the decision soon. Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers made a comment about leadership that is relevant in this situation:
"We want to be leaders, we've been leaders all of our lives. We enjoy the ball in our hands. We enjoy the pressure. We enjoy the opportunity with the odds against you at times, when you're playing on the road or with the expectations very high when you're at home. I think you have to have a special personality, a moxie about you to inspire your teammates but also never lose confidence in yourself. That's the most important thing a quarterback can have."
Hurts has the moxie that Rodgers mentioned and it rubs off on his teammates while he's on the field.
#3 - Lack of depth
The Philadelphia Eagles have one of two options for their starting quarterback position. Option one is to name Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback for the 2021 season and option two is to start Joe Flacco. It's unlikely that the Eagles will start the quarterback that they draft.
Ultimately, the Eagles need to give the job to Jalen Hurts because he's earned it and the team wants it. Hurts will give the Eagles their best chance at making it to the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the off-season goes for the Eagles and Jalen Hurts.
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