INDIANAPOLIS — Similar to what he expressed at the conclusion of the season, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman publicly doubled down on his confidence in quarterback Jalen Hurts during his news conference Wednesday afternoon at the NFL scouting combine.
The Eagles, owners of three first-round picks in next month’s draft, are one of the few teams that possess enough capital needed to make a sudden change at quarterback.
Rather than entertaining that possibility, Roseman reaffirmed his support for Hurts in front of the cameras and microphones.
“There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “We have Jalen Hurts. He is a 23-year-old quarterback who led his team to the playoffs. He’s going to get better and better and better. He’s going to do everything possible to get better, and we’ve got to do our part in that.”
Added coach Nick Sirianni: “We’re pleased with the progression that Jalen has made. We know that progression is going to continue. He loves football. We saw progression in him getting better throughout the year. He led us to the playoffs, but we want to go further than that. We’re confident Jalen is a guy who can help us do that.”
Hurts was criticized for his performance in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC wild-card round. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Eagles trailed 31-0. Hurts’ deficiencies in the passing game were magnified on the playoff stage, which sparked speculation about the team’s interest in pursuing a more experienced quarterback.
While Roseman curbed the idea of shifting away from Hurts — a thought from NFL fans and pundits that seemingly won’t disappear until the start of the 2022 season — discretion is advised in trusting the team’s top decision maker.
Roseman’s track record with his word selection has produced mixed results. At the end of last season, Roseman compared players such as quarterback Carson Wentz to “fingers on your hands” and he added, “you can’t even imagine they’re not a part of you.” Just two months later, Roseman traded Wentz to the Colts in exchange for a conditional pick that wound up being a first-rounder, in addition to a third-rounder last year.
“We’ve got to continue to add good players, we’ve got to continue to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to maximize our players’ abilities to be successful,” Roseman said Wednesday. “Certainly that starts at the quarterback position with Jalen.
“We have to constantly evolve and figure out what we’ve done right, what we’ve done wrong. I don’t think that changes with the number of first-round picks that we have. I think that just heightens the opportunity that we have.”
One major factor that was missing from Hurts late in the season was his mobility. He suffered a high ankle sprain in November that forced him to miss one game. Hurts — in his own words — did “everything in his power” during his rehab, but he was never quite the same.
After scoring a franchise-record 10 rushing touchdowns before the injury, Hurts did not record a single rushing TD over the final three games. He finished with a combined 3,928 yards and 26 total touchdowns with 11 total turnovers (nine interceptions and two lost fumbles).
Hurts underwent surgery on his left ankle in early February; Roseman declined to discuss any specifics regarding the procedure, but he did offer a timeline for the quarterback’s return to the field.
Said Roseman: “We’re really optimistic about his readiness for the offseason program.”
Asked about the potential of exploring a trade for one of the league’s unhappy, embattled quarterbacks — such as Houston’s Deshaun Watson or Seattle’s Russell Wilson — Roseman once again deflected attention back to Hurts.
A change in mindset can happen rapidly during the offseason, but for now, the Eagles are supporting Hurts as the starter.
“We want him to make good, accurate throws and good, quick decisions,” Sirianni said. “We’re hopeful Jalen continues his progression upward with the amount of reps he gets. I know how the [playoff] quarterbacks played and got their teams to the championship games and Super Bowl — we know that’s what we have to do to get ourselves there.
“I think Jalen is the type of guy who is going to maximize his potential.”
