The Philadelphia Eagles use Josh Allen's blueprint to turn Jalen Hurts into an elite qb
Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles is now in his second year as their starting quarterback and his third in the league. The NFL is currently moving on from the 6’5” traditional statue pocket passers to more athletic quarterbacks. Hurts is an example of this, a player who can hurt you through the air and on the ground.
One of the best quarterbacks in the league today is Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. Allen is something of an anomaly in the NFL due to his developing accuracy in the pro league rather than in college. For years it was thought that accuracy can’t be taught, but Josh Allen appears to be an exception. He has jumped from a 56% completion percentage in his final year of college to 69% during his third year in the NFL.
Every franchise in the league watches the competition closely and this innovation from the Bills has not gone unnoticed. Former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts partly with the belief in mind that they could develop their ideal franchise quarterback. With Allen as a blueprint, the Eagles hoped to take a natural dual-threat QB and develop his accuracy. So, how is their project going thus far?
Jalen Hurts' strengths and weaknesses
This past Sunday, Jalen Hurts left Ford Field happy after the Eagles secured a 38-35 victory on the road in Week 1. Hurts' stat sheet reads of the modern dual threat QB; 243 passing yards with a 56.3% completion rate. He rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown from 17 carries.
Hurts' skillset helps the Eagles offense kick into gear, but it isn’t foolproof. There are strengths and weaknesses to this approach, and handling these key areas will determine Hurts' future in the NFL.
Jalen Hurts' strengths
Hurts is known for his strength, speed and toughness. He has good height, a sturdy build plus quick feet in the pocket. This allows him to escape pressure and dart up the field. He has demonstrated steady improvement as a passer since his college days. In the NFL, his season completion percentage went up from 52% to 61% in his second year.
Hurts excels at extending plays and has made very good throws on the run and outside the pocket.
Jalen Hurts has always been a great leader/player respected by his teammate but this video shows he is truly growing into his role as leader of the entire #Eagles team:
https://t.co/FH3AOyxUSu
Jalen Hurts' Weaknesses
Hurts is inconsistent as a decision-maker and has a bad habit of missing throws. His accuracy improved last year but many still see him as a developmental talent who will improve in the right scheme. He struggles to beat NFL defenses from within the pocket, but his ability to escape pressure and make off-schedule plays keeps him out of trouble. As such, he lacks the touch, feel and the accuracy you look for in a classic drop-back passer.
Hurts can sometimes struggle with ball placement. An improvement by the coaching staff on his timing, rhythm and mechanics should help his accuracy. He has been over-reliant on his running ability to convert key downs in his career and will have to add more to his game. If he doesn't, he will struggle to remain healthy over the course of his career.
Every 3rd and 4th-down conversion from Jalen “move the chains” Hurts.🎥 Every 3rd and 4th-down conversion from Jalen “move the chains” Hurts. https://t.co/QLhVU63dPA
Focusing on one receiver is another issue he will have to work on. Often he throws at the same player and abandons his progressions to stare down a preferred target. This leads to him taking risks with the football and often trying to squeeze throws into ill-advised windows.
Project Jalen Hurts: Conclusion
Jalen Hurts is a bigger, more physical and less accurate version of Russell Wilson. NFL executives have been well aware of QBs with this style since the 2001 draft. They are fun but usually don’t have long term durability and usually don’t win Super Bowls.
The two most notable examples of this kind of quarterback are Russell Wilson and Cam Newton. Both have appeared in Super Bowls in the past decade. Building around this kind of quarterback is always a high-risk strategy. It requires a lot of patience and a carefully crafted offensive scheme built around his strengths. However, the overall blend of leadership, character, running ability and the hope of developed accuracy make Hurts a tantalizing prospect.
Josh Allen has 21 games with at least one passing TD and one rushing TD, the most since he entered the league in 2018.
The Bills are 20-1 in those games 😤 https://t.co/vVZvPh61Cu
Looking at Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, their franchises have struggled at the tail end of the season and in the playoffs. This is something the Eagles will have to take note of. Hurts is progressing well in the NFL and if he continues to develop, anything is possible for them.
Hurts isn't quite Josh Allen yet, but he isn't as far away as many people think. If he can continue to work on his accuracy and progressions, he will be one of the NFL's elite in short order. If the Eagles can continue winning matches, his confidence will soar, which can only help his development.
In conclusion, Jalen Hurts could well be a huge success for the Eagles. He will be something to keep an eye on during the 2022 season.