Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
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QB Jalen Hurts may be heading toward a split from the Philadelphia Eagles
It’s safe to say things have turned toxic between the Philadelphia Eagles and star quarterback Jalen Hurts.
There was some palpable tension between the two sides last season, and things escalated earlier this week after a bombshell report from ESPN revealed the Eagles aren’t happy with Hurts, according to multiple anonymous team sources.
Philadelphia took a significant step toward trying to remedy at least one of the biggest issues with Hurts — his tendency to lean conservative with offensive play-calling — in firing offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and replacing him with Sean Mannion.
But if that doesn’t fix the issue, one NFL insider believes the Eagles and Hurts could end up parting ways really soon.
Eagles, Hurts Could Be Heading Toward a Divorce
Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio recently addressed the ESPN report, stating the fact that multiple people allegedly close to the team were so cavalier about throwing Hurts under the bus might be a signal the Eagles are prepping to move on from Hurts.
“The mere fact that the ESPN report exists becomes proof that the Eagles may be on the brink of playing hardball with Hurts,” Florio wrote. “He’s signed through 2028, and after this season the dead-money charge slips to an eye-popping but manageable $67 million, which could be spread over two years with a post-June 1 transaction.
“… Wednesday’s article may be a pre-OTA shot across the bow to Hurts that his contract doesn’t translate to lifetime employment, and that if he doesn’t start doing what the Eagles want him to do he may be doing it somewhere else in 2027.”
Florio’s proposition lines up with what Eagles insider Jeff McLane reported on Friday about Hurts’ future with the team.
“The Eagles have no plans to extend Hurts’ contract this offseason, NFL sources said, even though teams with franchise quarterbacks often restructure contracts to create salary cap in return for more guaranteed years,” McLane reported.
Hurts is under contract through 2028. But his deal has an out after the 2027 season, though it does come with a massive $67 million dead cap charge.
While that is an enormous amount of money to pay a player to not play for a franchise, it’s not unheard of for a team to swallow it.
The Denver Broncos took on $85 million in dead cap three years ago after releasing quarterback Russell Wilson. The Miami Dolphins took on a record $99.2 million in dead cap this offseason after cutting ties with QB Tua Tagovailoa.
Eagles Owner Sending Mixed Signals About Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie recently said he was a fan of QB Jalen Hurts
The Eagles may very well be planning for life after Hurts. They have Tanner McKee waiting in the wings, and several draft analysts have also linked them to quarterbacks like Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik.
However, recent comments made by owner Jeffrey Lurie paint a different story.
“I love Jalen,” Lurie told reporters on Tuesday. “There’s no bigger fan of Jalen than me. Clutch gene, absolutely. MVP of the Super Bowl 13 months ago. Should have been MVP the Super Bowl right before that against Kansas City the first time. Exceptional and so dedicated.
“I spend a lot of time with Jalen, as I do most quarterbacks, and [he’s] incredibly dedicated to the game, to winning and being a huge winner. And I love everything about him.”
While it may never be known how bad things really are between Hurts and the Eagles, there’s at least a timeline in place for fans to find out.