Why in the world did the Eagles draft QB Jalen Hurts?

[Procus]

https://www.phillyvoice.com/why-did-eagles-draft-quarterback-jalen-hurts-second-round-carson-wentz/

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APRIL 25, 2020

Why in the world did the Eagles draft QB Jalen Hurts?

Making sense of why on earth the Eagles used their second round pick on a quarterback...

BY EVAN MACY
PhillyVoice Staff

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EAGLES NFL

KEVIN JAIRAJ/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Eagles selected Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

There are many reasons why the Eagles' selection of Jalen Hurts at 53rd overall makes no sense at all — yes, they really took a quarterback in the second round.

They have a franchise QB. They have a franchise QB who has had issues commanding the locker room. They have a ton of other needs. They could have gotten a QB later in the draft while addressing the needs they have right now — or added a veteran in free agency. They decided against trading up for a top 3 wide receiver and instead took a lesser WR and a backup quarterback. And so on.

 

• MORE ON THE EAGLES
• Philadelphia Eagles select QB Jalen Hurts with 53rd pick of 2020 NFL Draft
• 2020 NFL Draft Grades: Was Jalen Reagor the right pick for the Eagles?
• What they're saying: Did the Eagles reach for Jalen Reagor?

But maybe it makes sense. Maybe. Just hear me out.

Howie Roseman built an Eagles roster that overcame a ton of injuries in three straight seasons to make the playoffs (and, by the way, win a Super Bowl). He isn't a dummy, he has a reason why he took Hurts and passed on, well, a lot of good players who could have made a big contribution right away.

Here are five reasons the Eagles drafting Hurts was actually smart — hey, I have to try, don't I?

1. He (sort of) fills a need

Say what you want to about the Eagles' backup quarterbacks last season, but Josh McCown is old, not coming back and probably wasn't good enough to lead a playoff run last January. Nate Sudfeld hasn't proven anything — and couldn't get the No.2. job back from a 40-year-old last year. Plus, he only signed a one-year deal with the Birds in the offseason. 

Hurts has high upside and will learn in a great quarterbacks room. He is an upgrade over any of the options the Eagles would have at backup quarterback (and is much cheaper than, say Cam Newton or Joe Flacco), and as Eagles fans know, having a good backup quarterback is kind of, you know, important...

2. Carson Wentz has injury issues

Whether they were chronic or just bad luck, Wentz has suffered more than his fair share of setbacks. He missed two playoff runs due to serious injuries and went down in his first playoff start this past winter. That makes three seasons in a row Wentz did not finish the season on the field. It's not Wentz' fault, but having a good backup who can step in and win is kind of important — especially on this team.

3. Hurts is athletic and can play a Taysom Hill role

 

I can't claim to have had this idea first, it was on ESPN and all over Twitter. But the immensely athletic Hurts could find his way onto the field as a rookie in a variety of different ways.

 

Mike Garafolo

 

✔@MikeGarafolo

 

 

Early prediction: Jalen Hurts plays a Taysom Hill role for the #Eagles as they groom him. They always like to groom QBs.

 

1,545

8:41 PM - Apr 24, 2020

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Position-less football is a way of the future. The Eagles are just going with the trend.

4. The Eagles can follow the Patriots model

The Patriots have flipped Matt Cassel for a second rounder, Jimmy Garoppolo for a second rounder and Jacoby Brissett for Phillip Dorsett. Having a seasoned veteran to groom quarterbacks has become a cottage industry. And the Pats aren't the only team to do it. Years back, the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb and later traded him for a second-round pick and Dominque Rogers-Cromartie. So not only can Hurts be a Wentz insurance policy — he also could bring back a second round pick — or better — if they flip him.

Howie Roseman admitted as much on Friday night.

"For better or for worse, we are quarterback developers," the Eagles GM said. "We want to be a quarterback factory. No team has benefited more from developing quarterbacks than the Philadelphia Eagles."

5. He's just a playmaker

The Eagles are taking players known for making big plays. Hurts is a winner, and he has played the backup role before. After nearly winning a Heisman Trophy, he sat behind Tua Tagovailoa in the national title game (before he left Alabama for Oklahoma). The Birds seem to be taking the best player on their board, regardless of position.

Jeff McLane

 

✔@Jeff_McLane

 

 

The Jalen Hurts pick may be out of the box - out of this world for some - but this was again a move to add explosiveness, creativity to the #Eagles offense. Plus they have a potential backup QB, trade piece, or someday a starter. Not defending, but explaining their thinking here.

 

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8:53 PM - Apr 24, 2020

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We'll learn more about this decision when Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson speak to the media later tonight, but you have to imagine they'll cite some of the rationales we tried to find above when they do.

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EVAN MACY
PhillyVoice Staff

evan@phillyvoice.com

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

There's no making sense of this pick.

It made no sense at the time. It makes no sense having had a few hours to digest. It will make no sense in 6 months time when the season is underway. 

Unless Wentz announces retirement and then we are f'ed no matter what. 

Time to fire Howie. 

[time2rock]

Hard to make much sense of this pick that isn't likely to become a starter here ever given the contract they just gave Wentz and their commitment to him.  There were so many highly rated prospects that were still available at positions where we still need to add young talent (Mims, Fulton, Epenesa, Fulton, etc.).  SMH at Howie ... once again.  Our version of Yogi ... thinks he smarter than the average bear.  

[KillerDawk20]

This is a tough pill to swallow

[hputenis]

This is the most ridiculous pick I have ever seen.  I think back to Danny Watkins and Marcus Smith, and even knowing they were awful picks, at least THEY FILLED A NEED!  There were players at 53 that would have been 1st round talent in years past and we wasted it.  If I hear 1 more person talk about developing QBs to "flip them" later, I'm gonna puke.  Where is the value if we wasted a 2nd round pick only to flip it for another 2nd round pick 2-3 years from how.  Hi, I'm earth.  Have we met??

[Procus]

Short memories dominate the Philly sports scene.  The night before Hurts was drafted, Dallas scooped up Cee Dee Lamb before the Eagles could draft him - assuming he was targeted by the Eagles.  It should not be lost upon anybody that WR was not an area of need for the Cowboys.  But you don't hear the Dallas faithful excoriating their team for drafting a good player when a lot of money is already invested in that position and more pressing areas of need rare elsewhere.

Dallas currently has its QB - a 4th rounder - under a franchise tag, with no long term contract.  Dallas also selected another player from the Sooners today.  Oklahoma is in the Cowboys' neighborhood.  If I were running the Dallas draft board, I most certainly would have drafted Hurts with a third round pick.  He's a better player than Prescott and the team would have him under a rookie contract.

Who really stole who from who??

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 minute ago, Procus said:

If I were running the Dallas draft board, I most certainly would have drafted Hurts with a third round pick.  He's a better player than Prescott and the team would have him under a rookie contract.

Who really stole who from who??

Haha seriously? 

So let me get this straight. 

You're suggesting here that we stole from Dallas because we got Hurts? A guy who's a project QB. And that outweighs them getting Lamb over us?

[Procus]

7 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Haha seriously? 

So let me get this straight. 

You're suggesting here that we stole from Dallas because we got Hurts? A guy who's a project QB. And that outweighs them getting Lamb over us?

We will see whether Lamb pans out or not.  Looks to be a good player.  Don't forget in whose offense Lamb played and who was throwing those darts to him.  Lamb benefited very much by being in the Air Raid offense.  If he played for another team with another style of play, it's questionable whether or not he would be close to the top of the draft board.

And what makes Hurts a "project" QB when Prescott neatly fit in from the getgo?  Hurts is a better overall player than Prescott.

Sometimes when the truth stares you smack in the face, it's hard to see it.

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

8 hours ago, Procus said:

And what makes Hurts a "project" QB when Prescott neatly fit in from the getgo?  Hurts is a better overall player than Prescott.

Most recognize that he's a project that needs to be developed. That there are tools there to work with but that he'll need time. There's a chance he's not even the back up this year.