Training camp is a little over two weeks away for the Philadelphia Eagles and after a long year of disappointment in the realm of Philly sports, the Eagles will be carrying the hopes and expectations of many through the Summer. There are plenty of storylines, players, and battles to watch when the Birds touch down at the NovaCare Complex, and this guide will highlight everything you need to know.
Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts
All eyes will be on Jalen Hurts this Summer, there’s no escaping that. The Eagles doubled down on the second-year product by trading Carson Wentz this past offseason, paving the way for Hurts to win the starting role. Ever since then, he’s handled the situation with nothing but class.
From hosting workouts with his teammates to remaining very aware with his comments to national reporters, Hurts has done nothing but inspire confidence in those around him through a very mature sense of leadership. When it comes to what we see on the field, however, there is plenty of progress to be made.
We know that Nick Sirianni is a big advocate of competition and there are two quarterbacks who will be breathing down the shoulders of the Oklahoma product. For Hurts to gain and maintain that QB1 status, he’ll need to work on a few vital traits.
The first is ball security. Just like Carson Wentz before him, Hurts does struggle when it comes to protecting the rock. His 9 fumbles last year were beyond damaging and although he didn’t really benefit from a strong offensive front, it’s imperative he irons those flaws out.
Secondly, his ability to go through his progressions. All too often we saw Hurts lock in on his first-read and if the player wasn’t open, he’d make a run for it, leaving plenty of meat on the table elsewhere. This has to change if the offense is to have success under his guidance.
If Hurts can focus on these two aspects of his game, then he’ll enter the season as a much more threatening passer and easily assert himself for QB1.
Joe Flacco
The acquisition of Joe Flacco was not meant to give Jalen Hurts a mentor as much as it was intended to give him a very intense competition so that he earns the right to be named QB1. Having spoken to Joe recently, it’s very clear that the Delaware native who grew up just blocks away from the Eagles’ stadium is here to try and win a starting job.
In terms of how big this Summer is for him, it could well be one of his final chances to cement a starting role. His time in Denver was short lived and his experience with the Jets was forgettable (as it was for everyone on the team), although a spirited effort against the Patriots in a close loss reminded the world that he can still sling it with the best of them on his day.
Jalen Hurts might be the man of the future, but whether or not he’s the man of the moment is a very different discussion and one that this Wiley veteran will go a long way in working out. A strong and consistent camp from the former Super Bowl MVP may convince Sirianni to roll with the stronger arm to begin the season if Hurts does struggle in the Summer.
Nick Mullens
This was a very surprise addition after the even more surprising waiving of UDFA Jamie Newman, but it was a pleasant one. Nick Mullens has every chance at pushing his way into the conversation for QB2 at the very minimum this Summer.
In 2020 he completed 64.7% of his passes across 8 games. Mullens is battle tested to a point where he’s experienced the highs and lows of an NFL season (still rehabbing an injured shoulder) and has very recently started for half of one. Not many young QB’s bring that kind of resume to the table and he may have just enough in terms of upside for QB Coach Brian Johnson to work with.
With 16 starts across 3 seasons, Nick Mullens brings plenty of experience and upside to the table, providing he can come back healthy. The big thing for him this offseason is working on intermediate throws. This is a player who broke Brett Favre’s records at Southern Miss and that gunslinger mentality translated to the NFL with ease. Mullens has no problem letting it rip and making some of the most beautiful throws you’ll ever see.
However, misplacing short passes and struggling to quickly read the middle of the field have plagued his play for a while now, resulting in a few too many turnovers. On top of that, he can also hold the ball a little too long and doesn’t have the athleticism of let’s say, Jalen Hurts to get out of trouble if danger does find him, resulting in even more turnovers.
For now, Mullens is a strong QB3 for the Eagles, but there’s every chance he could unseat Flacco and maybe even put some pressure on Hurts if he can find a way to work on those pesky 5-10 yard passes, then his ceiling is higher than many realize.
The battle at QB is going to be enormous this offseason https://www.online-betting.org/best-betting-sites/
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