The Eagles drew a lot of criticism for their selection of Oklahoma product Jalen Hurts in the second round of the draft, given that they already have a franchise quarterback on their roster in Carson Wentz.
But the team appears to have a set plan for Hurts, and it’s not to necessarily challenge Wentz for the starting job.
Hurts has great vision, following his blockers, and has the ability to make plays with his legs, as well as his arm. As such, it appears the Eagles are looking to use Hurts more as a wildcat quarterback, similar to what the Saints have done with Taysom Hill. Head coach Doug Pederson shared his thoughts on the pick in an interview with NBC Sports.
“We just wanted him to understand that, you know, we value – we value the quarterback position extremely high here in Philadelphia,” Pederson said. “But at the same time, Carson understands, and I wanted him to know, that he’s our starter, he’s the face of the Philadelphia Eagles, he’s the franchise. He is the guy that’s going to take us back, hopefully, one day, back to the Super Bowl, and get back to that championship level. So I wanted him to understand that first.
“But we also understand, and wanted him to understand, that we’re going to continue to evaluate quarterbacks, and continue to draft quarterbacks every year. I’ve been a part of this as a player, in my days in Green Bay, and obviously as a coach, also.”
We have a lot of faith in Pederson, as he’s an innovative offensive mind who will likely have a creative plan for how to utilize Hurts. Still, there were a number of other difference-making players out there in the second round that might have been better options.
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