Jalen Hurts will be the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback in 2026.
In 2027? That's a much more open question.
Hurts' contract has a lot of the same implications about it as A.J. Brown's does currently. He'd be logical for the Eagles to trade in the 2027 offseason, but only after June 1.
"Hurts has $22 million in 2027 guarantees," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote in a new article on Thursday. "The team would take a $2.9 million cap hit if he's traded before June 1 but would save $21.4 million on that year's cap if he's dealt after June 1."
Fowler wasn't predicting a trade, though. He was just suggesting that Hurts' status could swing both directions.
"The flip side: Hurts can force Philly's hand on a new contract if he thrives," Fowler writes. "His current deal runs through the 2028 season."
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One executive quoted by Fowler compares it to the Kyler Murray situation with the Arizona Cardinals, where the Cards eventually had to release Murray when no one wanted to trade for his contract.
Hurts has a season to determine where any of this goes, though, before the rumors and speculation get too large.
"Hurts has been throwing off site with multiple Eagles receivers, including his new No. 1, Devonta Smith -- assuming A.J. Brown is traded as expected -- and veteran Elijah Moore," Fowler wrote. "Some NFL personnel evaluators still consider him a top-12 quarterback in the league. All of that won't dim the spotlight placed on him this season -- and the spotlight on the team's next move if he struggles again."
Hurts depends on his legs nearly as much as any QB in the NFL, so that's a big variable here, too. How much of a long-term commitment do you make to a player who might lose his mobility in the latter stages of his career?
These are all questions the Eagles will have to answer. And the season ahead is going to play a big role in what happens beyond that.
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