The Eagles have had seven different starting quarterbacks since Lane Johnson became the team’s starting right tackle as a rookie in 2013. He and the Eagles would love for Jalen Hurts to keep the job for the foreseeable future.
Hurts has started 19 games since supplanting Carson Wentz, who has been traded twice since making his last start with the Eagles in 2020.
In that time, Hurts has won over his teammates.
“He just carries himself with a lot of poise. I mean, he demands respect,” Johnson told MJ Acosta-Ruiz of NFL Media. “Just the way he approaches day-to-day activity, how he trains, what he does in the film room. And he’s a great motivator. He’s a great leader. (He’s) super behind the scenes, even during summer. He’s connecting with a lot of the guys, a lot of receivers. Doing 7-on-7. Just doing typical work to prepare. I know he’s excited about the new guys that we have that we drafted and acquired over the offseason and really just getting ready to go to work.”
The Eagles traded for A.J. Brown, so now have Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins and Greg Ward as receivers, Dallas Goedert at tight end and Miles Sanders at running back. The acquisition of Brown along with the additions of pass rusher Haason Reddick, cornerback James Bradberry, defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean prompted Sanders to call the Eagles an “all-star team.”
So, it’s a big season for Hurts, who has no excuses and one year left on his contract after this one.
The Eagles believe in Hurts, and they believe in the roster Howie Roseman has put together.
But. . .
“When it comes down to it, you have to approach every day with an aggressive mindset,” Johnson said. “You have to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead because when you do that teams can easily beat you. You can be easily beaten. So, the name of the game is focus. Yeah, I feel like we do have a great roster, but at the end of the day, we still have to go play.”
Hurts threw for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season and added another 784 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
