Jalen Hurts Bringing New Dynamic to Eagles Offense
By Peter Dewey
Carson Wentz is officially out and it’s time for the Jalen Hurts era in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Eagles gave Hurts a major endorsement this offseason by not taking a quarterback and drafting his college teammate, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, in the first round.
Hurts is a true dual-threat quarterback, as he threw for 1,061 yards and ran for another 354 yards in just four starts last season. Having such a dynamic weapon at quarterback allows the Eagles to have a lot of different looks on offense, and it also helps the offensive line.
"He's put his foot on the gas pedal."@Eagles offensive lineman @LaneJohnson65 says QB Jalen Hurts has taken command of the offense this offseason.
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) June 30, 2021
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“He’s got that confidence to him,” Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson said. “The way he carries himself, he carries himself like a veteran. The things he can do on the field, you know, he can scramble outside of the pocket. When that happens, man, it makes it a little easier for the offensive line. Whenever you have a mobile quarterback back there, the pass rushers approach the pass rush a little bit differently. Instead of maybe running the hoop, they’re taught not to break contain because if they do, he can scramble for 10 or 15 (yards) and get a quick first down.”
WynnBET has given Hurts +5000 odds to win the MVP this season, but his odds may be low since the Eagles aren’t expected to have much success in 2021. Philly is going through a semi-rebuild of its roster, and it is expected to finish in last in the NFC East with just +600 odds.
The Eagles were one of the league’s worst teams last season, but Wentz’s struggles were a big reason why.
The Eagles upset the New Orleans Saints after Hurts took over last season, and they could make some noise in an NFC East that features three other teams with major questions on their own rosters.
WynnBET has the Eagles projected to win 6.5 games in 2021, but the over (-140) is a heavy favorite to the under (+110). A 7-10 season wouldn’t cut it to make the playoffs, but if the Eagles over achieve and Hurts lives up to expectations, they may find themselves with a chance at the division crown.