The Philadelphia Eagles were one of the more aggressive teams across the NFL during free agency, but much of the franchise’s hopes of returning to the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons hinge on quarterback Jalen Hurts returning to form.
Last season, the Eagles’ dramatic backslide from a 10-1 start to the regular season and having the 2023 campaign end with a resounding loss to the Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round, in Tampa Bay, was one of the league’s biggest storylines of the second half of the season.
During the Eagles’ final six games of the regular season, Hurts completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,161 yards with just five touchdowns, five interceptions, and was sacked seven times.
But, the pieces could be in place for Hurts to return to form from when he was a legitimate MVP candidate in 2022.
Why Jalen Hurts is Primed for 2024 Bounce-Back-Season
As the 2024 season nears, CBS Sports Garrett Podell put together a list of the quarterbacks most likely to rebound this fall, including Hurts.
“The 2023 season wasn’t nearly as smooth for Hurts after the departure of offensive coordinator Shane Steichen,” Podell writes for CBS Sports.”Who left to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Hurts’ turnovers total more than doubled in 2023 while his passing yards per attempt declined by nearly an entire yard, from 8.0 to 7.2. For context, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson ranked fourth in the NFL last season and averaged eight yards per pass attempt while Hurts’ 7.2 yards per pass attempt ranked 14th in the league.
“With the addition of two-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and experienced offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Hurts should look more like the 2022 iteration of himself than last season’s version. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had some of the best years of his eight-year career when Moore was his play-caller from 2019-2022. There’s no reason why Hurts can’t produce at a high level again in 2024.”
Signing Barkley figures to make a significant tangible impact on the Eagles’ offense, and Hurts, thanks to Barkley’s big-play ability behind one of the league’s premier and most consistent offensive lines.
“Barkley will give Jalen Hurts a much better chance of getting through the season healthy,” Tannenbaum writes for ESPN, listing the Barkley signing as the most impactful across the league. “Over the past three seasons, Hurts has run the ball 491 times, which is the most by any quarterback in that span.
“Those numbers take a toll, and he didn’t look the same at the end of last season. With a true elite runner in the backfield, there won’t be as much pressure on Hurts to run, which will potentially keep him healthy down the stretch.”
Likewise, Moore’s system could bring out the best in Hurts, especially given it will be his third season with dynamic receiver A.J. Brown on the receiving end of passes and fourth with DeVonta Smith as a top target.
“He’s a very quarterback-friendly coach,” an NFL defensive coach who has coached against Moore on several occasions told heavy, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “Kellen fits Jalen Hurts‘ skill-set really well. And, maybe more importantly, will know how to get the most out of Philly’s skill-players, because it’s a very similar collection of talent to what he had in Dallas.”
