The past few weeks have been an absolute mess as far as the Philadelphia Eagles are concerned. The Carson Wentz era appears to be over, with the team vigorously trying to find a suitable trade partner. The Bears, Colts, Broncos, and several others have thrown their hat into the sweepstakes and the rumor mill is spinning faster than ever. Understandably, this leaves Jalen hurts in a tricky position, but it’s one he’s handling incredibly well.
In fact, ever since his benching in a controversial week 17 matchup that sparked plenty of controversies, Hurts has been cool, calm, and collected. He’s never said the wrong thing or aired any dirty laundry. He didn’t take to social media to cryptically tweet his emotions before revoking them when the pressure cooker heated up.
With the Carson Wentz situation burning brighter and brighter by the day, it would be easy for Hurts to fall into the trap of surrounding himself in the whirlwind. Who would really blame him? He’s a second-round pick who replaced the franchise QB during the chaotic downfall of last season and that could be a role he soon inherits as a result.
Instead, Hurts went on NFL Network and showed a playful and confident side as he reflected on his rookie season.
After that, he decided to rally his young receivers and organize a group workout in Texas over the coming weeks. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, he did something similar with DeSean Jackson last season, while both Carson Wentz and Sam Bradford also arranged similar trips in the past. It’s not the act itself that’s notable here, but the timing.
The entire offense is in a state of flux right now. Is Zach Ertz on the move? Will the Eagles be drafting another top wideout this year? Will there be a running back involved in the Wentz deal? There has to be an understandable sense of uncertainty surrounding the group, but Hurts has decided to step up as a leader, bring his teammates together and focus on what matters – Football.
The play of Jalen Hurts will be evaluated and critiqued to no end this season, but one thing that can only draw praise is his maturity. Hurts is wading through uncharted waters with a real sense of calmness, exuding subtle leadership traits and gluing the team together…which is exactly what a franchise QB should do.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
