Eagles: Jalen Hurts accuracy issues weren’t all his fault

Jalen Hurts had his struggles, but there’s proof not everything was his fault with the Philadelphia Eagles passing game.

Jalen Hurts, you’re up.

It’s been over a week since the Philadelphia Eagles traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. Sure, there are still reports that Philadelphia could be in play for another quarterback, but Nick Sirianni’s job will be to help the team win early.

If he believes in Jalen Hurts, so should the Eagles’ fan base.

Hurts did his best to keep the 4-11-1 Eagles afloat last season. Overall, the offense felt stronger and in a place of positive reinforcement under his leadership. However, there were concerns on Hurts’ passing attempts and accuracy, finishing with a completion rating of 52 percent.

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1365481783605686272

When looking at Pro Football Focus, one could imagine that part of the problem was the lack of receivers designed to work in the Eagles’ system. Nearly half of Hurts’ production came on plays of 10-plus yards or more passing, meaning that’s also on the wide receiver and play-calling. The Eagles lacked a short passing attack.

Can the Eagles draft receivers to work with Hurts?

Holding the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Eagles must decide if Hurts is their guy. As reported by Albert Breer of the MMQB, the job is not expected to land in the former second-round pick’s lap just because he is on the roster.

That, however, doesn’t mean Philadelphia will be using another top-10 pick on a quarterback who could hit or miss within two seasons.

Keep in mind, adding any player this offseason will be tricky for the Eagles due to the Wentz trade. They will absorb a dead-cap hit of more than $33 million by trading the former No.2 and are currently projected to be about $50 million over the cap.

That also means that Philadelphia won’t be able to add receivers in free agency unless they trim even more lucrative deals this offseason. Long story short, Philadelphia is a knock-out punch away from being in worse shape than before the Wentz deal.

Here’s hoping Sirianni’s offense can cater to Jalen Reagor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Adding another receiver or cornerback will be essential in the draft, but let’s pump the brakes before giving up on Hurts.