Josh McCown has awesome defense of Carson Wentz in wake of Jalen Hurts pick

Josh McCown gritted out one of the toughest relief performances in Eagles postseason history during Wild Card weekend, nearly leading the Birds to an improbable win over the Seahawks on a dang torn hamstring. McCown has more than earned to be taken seriously when he speaks on the Eagles.

So Eagles fans, who are in a fragile headspace after the second-round pick of Jalen Hurts brought up new questions about Carson Wentz's future, should feel better after McCown defended the franchise quarterback's mindset heading into the 2020 season.

McCown spoke with Bleacher Report's Adam Lefkoe (who also happens to be an Eagles fan) earlier this week, as the football world picks apart the Hurts selection.

Lefkoe asked McCown, point blank, if the draft pick means we should be reading into Wentz's mindset at this point in his career.

McCown's answer? Absolute money.

LEFKOE: What is Carson's mindset? And do fans need to worry about that?

MCCOWN: I don't think so, and here's why. You said it: I go back to the last four weeks of the season last year. When you can change the parts around you and continue to play at a high level, and your level even goes up? You know, 4,000 yards without a receiver going over 500 is incredible.

I just thought, down the stretch, he played at such a high level that his confidence is off the charts. It's a bummer how the playoff game worked out with the injury. But his mindset is - to bring in a second-round quarterback, I don't think that's a thing. Because he's in such a different place, because of where he took the guys.

And then you look at, 'Okay, last year we took a relative group of unknowns and we made our way into the playoffs. Now we've drafted some guys that are 4.3 guys, we added Goodwin.' All this stuff, we're going, 'Okay Carson, if you can work that magic you did for the last four weeks, what can you do with these guys?'

McCown had a front row seat in the Eagles' quarterback room last season as Wentz piloted a receiving corps featuring Greg Ward, Deontay Burnett, and Robert Davis to an NFC East title. He certainly knows what he's talking about.

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And McCown issuing this defense of Wentz's mindset means a lot more to me than, say, Nate Sudfeld. McCown has played on nine different teams across his 16 seasons in NFL quarterback rooms. He's seen it all, which makes me think he can discern a pretender from an actually elite quarterback.

There will be questions around Wentz's status in the Eagles' future until we actually get to watch Wentz play with his new wideouts, and until we see how Hurts is used in the offense.

But this is nice reassurance from someone who was on the inside.

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