Jalen Hurts
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Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Philadelphia Eagles don’t need a starting quarterback, but that doesn’t mean executive VP and general manager Howie Roseman won’t be adding to the position in the draft.
After an April 1 report from ESPN’s Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler laid bare the frustrations inside the Eagles’ building with starter Jalen Hurts, some think it’s possible Philly may consider drafting his potential successor.
Alabama’s Ty Simpson is widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2026 draft class behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Most projections have Simpson going somewhere in the middle of the first round — Chad Reuter’s latest five-round mock for NFL.com has him heading to the Jets at No. 16, while others see him lasting into the 20s.
But if he falls past the first round entirely, Bleeding Green Nation’s Shamus Clancy thinks the Eagles, who pick 54th overall in Round 2, would have a real decision to make.
Could Philadelphia Eagles Draft QB Ty Simpson in Round 2 in 2026 NFL Draft if He Falls?
Ty Simpson quarterback University of Alabama
GettyQB Ty Simpson is expected to be taken in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft. But if he falls, could the Philadelphia Eagles take him?
Clancy thinks Philly taking a QB on Day 2 would be a bit of a crap shoot. “I don’t necessarily love any of the likely Day 2 guys like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier or Penn State’s Drew Allar,” Clancy wrote on April 4, adding: “If, say, Alabama’s Ty Simpson doesn’t go in the first round though, which is not a given, maybe the Eagles have a more difficult decision on their hands.”
Simpson would certainly be a risk, too. The young QB’s 2025 season at Alabama was a tale of two halves. Through his first nine games, he looked like a Heisman frontrunner, completing around 70 % of his passes, while tossing 21 touchdowns and just one interception. He led the Crimson Tide past four consecutive ranked SEC opponents in that span.
The second half of Simpson’s 2025 season didn’t go near as well. His completion rate dropped to 58.5 percent, and he threw six touchdowns against three interceptions in that stretch. He finished the year with 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions across 15 starts.
Here’s what NFL.com’s draft expert Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report about the former Alabama signal-caller:
“Simpson is mechanically sound from a footwork and release perspective, providing a favorable foundation to work from. He’s above average as a processor and decision-maker, but timing and anticipation remain works in progress. Arm talent and velocity are average, which limits his success. His repeatable process should help iron out ball placement inconsistencies the more he plays.”
Philly’s Current QB Situation is Full of Drama
The Eagles traded for veteran Andy Dalton this offseason to join Hurts and Tanner McKee, who has been the subject of trade rumors. If Philly sees a QB they like in the draft, trading McKee would make a ton of sense, but it depends on how the draft board falls.
Then, there’s the current drama surrounding the recent report about QB1.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested the ESPN report about Hurts was strategically placed by the organization, calling it “brokered” and “engineered” and describing the Eagles as playing “the media like a pigskin Stradivarius.” Florio argued the piece served as a warning shot to Hurts ahead of OTAs: Fall in line with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s system, or face consequences.
None of this means the Eagles are ready to move on from their Hurts. But if Simpson slides, don’t be surprised if Philadelphia adds him to the Qb room. It would certainly add more drama, as well — and could potentially light a fire under Hurts.