It's All About Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Now, and Draft Should Reflect That
Everyone knew Jalen Hurts’ contract was happening this offseason, so when it was announced that the deal had been agreed upon, it wasn’t a surprise.
In a world where New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones can make an annual average salary of $40 million, the $51 million AVV for Hurts was expected, considering Jones hasn’t accomplished even half of what Hurts has in his first two years as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Why then, does it feel like the Eagles’ draft strategy will be impacted by Hurts’ deal if it’s what was expected?
General manager Howie Roseman said the Eagles were planning on keeping Hurts around for a long time and he backed that up with actions, so he and his staff know, even if mock drafters may not, that the priority in his month’s draft and drafts going forward will be about Hurts.
The Eagles must now protect him, and that means keeping the offensive line strong and continuing to surround him with skill position players.
The last thing the Eagles want is the kind of subpar receiving group Donovan McNabb for a lot of his career. Philadelphia had a strong offensive line in those days, but had too many Todd Pinkstons, James Thrashes, and Donte Stallworths and not enough Terrell Owens.’
When the Eagles gave Carson Wentz his $100 million contract in 2019, they broke tradition and actually drafted a running back in the second round, bringing Miles Sanders aboard.
They added wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside with their second pick of the second round. In the first round, they drafted a left tackle in Andre Dillard, who was going to be the heir to Jason Peters until he wasn’t.
It’s true general manager Howie Roseman missed on JJAW and, while Dillard never was able to make the starting lineup after Jordan Mailata’s development took quantum leaps, he wasn’t a total bust like Arcega-Whiteside was.
Sanders is gone now. So are Dillard and starting right guard Isaac Seuamlo.
All three players left in free agency.
The offensive line has two plus-30 players in center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson and a running back in Rashaad Penny that they brought in who hasn’t been able to stay healthy for a full season.
Both positions need to be addressed in this draft and probably next year’s too, when the Eagles will have a dozen or so picks after compensatory selections are awarded next March.
It’s why it is foolish to rule out Bijan Robinson with the 10th pick on April 27, though it’s probably more likely the Eagles take a running back at No. 30 or, if they trade back for more picks, in the early second round. Someone like Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs would do nicely.
The Eagles will also fortify the offensive line in the first two days.
Hurts is now the priority, even though that was known coming into the offseason.
Seeing his contract, and the eye-bulging numbers, drive that point home even more now.
It might look like the Eagles are in good shape on offense, with the return of tight end Dallas Goedert and top receiver A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and it certainly looks like they need to add pieces on a defensive line that has two aging veterans in Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham and could use help at linebacker, but it’s all about Hurts now.
The Eagles have to keep him healthy and give him weapons to succeed to reap the Super Bowl reward for investing $51 million per year for him.
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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