In four short weeks, the question regarding Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has changed from whether he’s the quarterback of the future, to how much his next contract might end up costing the Eagles.
It’s possible that the Eagles will try to sign Hurts to an extension during the offseason. And with the way Hurts is playing, those talks might begin with the $46 million average per season that Hurts’ counterpart on Sunday, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, signed for over the summer.
In all, Murray got a five-year deal worth $230.5 million, with $160 million guaranteed.
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This scenario seemed ludicrous last January after Hurts threw three interceptions in the Eagles’ playoff loss to the Buccaneers. Back then, there was speculation that the Eagles might try to parlay their plethora of first-round draft picks this year and next to trade for someone like Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson.
Both, by the way, signed extensions in the $46 million-$49 million average range with their new teams. The Eagles have to be breathing a big sigh of relief that Wilson and Watson made it clear that they didn’t want to be traded to Philadelphia, thus making the Eagles’ decision to stick with Hurts an easy one.
It should be noted that Hurts still has one more year remaining on his rookie contract. That counts just $1.6 million on the salary cap this season and $1.9 million on the cap in 2023.
For now, let’s look past how poorly Wilson has played this season, and that Watson is still serving an 11-game NFL suspension for violating the personal conduct policy, and focus on Murray.
And let’s look past the “homework clause” nonsense that the Cardinals ended up removing from Murray’s contract once they realized how bad it made both the team and Murray look. The original contract stipulated that Murray had to spend at least four hours each week studying video during the season or risk forfeiting a large part of the guaranteed money.
Studying, of course, has never been Hurts’ problem. Accuracy, decision-making and arm strength have been.
Not anymore. Or at least so far, as Eagles receiver A.J. Brown can attest.
Hurts revealed Monday night on the “Manningcast” that he studies Tom Brady video. That’s in addition to the video study Hurts does on the game plan (you can bet that it’s more than the four hours that Murray was originally required to do).
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“That’s the aggressive nature in him,” Brown said. “(Brady) says everybody works on issues they’re just right at, so paintings on stuff you’re no longer just right at. To many guys, that’s so cliché to mention, however numerous other folks truly don’t paintings on their negatives, their flaws. That’s what (Hurts) does.”
Look at the results.
In his first two seasons, consisting of 19 starts, Hurts completed 59.0% of his passes. He’s at 66.7% this season.
As for arm strength and decision-making, Hurts has thrown for 1,120 yards this season, fifth among QBs, on pace for 4,760 yards. The Eagles’ single-season record for yards passing in a season is 4,039 yards, set by Carson Wentz in 2019.
Hurts’ passer rating is 99.6. His career high was 87.2 last season.
The yardage is actually a little less than what Hurts had thrown for through the first four games last season. Hurts had thrown for 1,167 yards and completed 66.2%, with a rating of 101.1.
The difference is that Hurts leads the NFL in yards per attempt at 9.11, compared with 8.05 at the same point last season. And the Eagles are 4-0, compared with 1-3.
Murray’s stats through four games are not nearly as good. Murray got the contract based on his running and accuracy. Murray completed 66.9% of his passes through his first three seasons, from 2019-21, with a passer rating of 93.9. He’s at 65.3% this season, and his rating is 85.2.
Sure, you can make the argument that Murray’s stats are lower this season in large part because top receiver DeAndre Hopkins is serving a six-game suspension (he won’t play against the Eagles). But Murray’s stats without Hopkins are similar to Hurts’ stats before the Eagles got Brown.
In other words, if Hurts can keep up this level of play on the NFL’s only unbeaten team, and lead the Eagles deep into the playoffs, Murray might not even be the comparison point for a new contract.
It might be the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, who remaining month reportedly grew to become down a five-year deal value $250 million.
3 questions with Cameron Dicker, international man of mystery
The Eagles will have a new kicker when they play the Cardinals in Cameron Dicker, who’s replacing the injured Jake Elliott.
It just so happens that Dicker was born in Hong Kong, grew up in Shanghai, and wasn’t familiar with former Eagles QB and Super Bowl hero Nick Foles even though the two attended the same high school in Austin, Texas, albeit about seven years apart.
Question: What do you know about Nick Foles after attending the same high school?
Answer: I honestly have not watched football much in my life. I’m a soccer fan, so I didn’t really care too much. It’s kind of like, ‘Yeah, he was there.’ It’s something you know about. But it wasn’t anything that was big in my life.”
Why is Liverpool your Premier League group?
I grew up in Shanghai, China, and my preferrred pals have been all from England. So they have been Liverpool lovers. Their dads have been (Manchester) United lovers, so I determined I’m going with the youngsters.
Why was once your circle of relatives in Shanghai?
I used to be born in Hong Kong. My dad is in provide chain control. And so, I used to be there for 11 years.
Prediction
In many respects, the Eagles must beat the Cardinals. They have the No. 2 offense within the NFL and feature totaled at least 400 yards in every in their first 4 video games. That is simplest the 7th time since 1970 {that a} group has finished that whilst profitable every in their first 4 video games.
But the Cardinals do provide issues. While Arizona has simplest 4 sacks this season, there is no doubt that J.J. Watt, who has two of them, will line up reverse Jack Driscoll, who is changing Jordan Mailata at left take on. Mailata is indexed as in doubt. That will probably be a large check for Driscoll, who prior to remaining Sunday performed simplest two video games at left take on − as a redshirt freshman at UMass in 2016.
On offense, Murray might no longer run as frequently as he did in 2020 when he received 819 yards. But he has proven that he can run across the pocket till he reveals a receiver. The Eagles have not confronted a cellular quarterback like Murray this season, which means the defensive backs should stick with their receivers longer.
Also, State Farm Stadium has been a area of horrors for the Eagles. They are 0-5, together with playoffs, because the construction opened. And with Elliott out, you simply know that it is going to come right down to Dicker having to take a look at a possible game-winning 54-yard box function within the ultimate seconds.
It would possibly not finish smartly.
Score: Cardinals 29, Eagles 27.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.