The Eagles have put themselves in a tough and complicated situation at the quarterback position for a second-straight season.
The team traded away Joe Flacco on Monday, one day after a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders dropped their record to 2-5. The record is an important part of the trade. If the Eagles had pulled out a win over San Francisco, or been able to beat a Raiders team lead by an interim head coach, they might be sitting at 4-3, with hopes of a playoff run still alive.
Instead, they blew the game against the 49ers and were embarrassed by the Raiders.
As a result their season is almost over and they now find themselves having to make a tough decision at quarterback between Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew.
The idea of benching Hurts after just seven games might sound crazy or unfair, and it very well might be. I wouldn't bench him. Hurts has not been great, but he has also had some strong stretches, and there is no question the play calling hasn’t done him any favors. The offense isn’t struggling only because of Hurts and the reality remains that the best path forward beyond the 2021 season is Hurts developing into the starting quarterback.
Still, the other reality is that Hurts hasn’t played well enough to avoid a discussion of a possible benching. He continues to consistently miss 2-3 easy throws a game and seems to be slow getting the ball out. He also seems to be missing receivers that are open. In an offense where quick, accurate passes on time are crucial, Hurts has slowed the offense down.
If Hurts were a quarterback the Eagles were committed to, his struggled would be seen as growing pains, and he would be given the entire season to develop. The reality, however, is that the Eagles have shown repeatedly they are not committed to Hurts beyond this season.
They tried to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft for a quarterback. They tried for months to trade for Deshaun Watson, and if he was willing to come, he might already be in Philadelphia. They gave Flacco $3.5 million to be the backup quarterback, and right before the season began, they brought an extremely high-profile third-string quarterback in Gardner Minshew.
Now, with Hurts and the offense struggling, the Eagles have moved Minshew one step closer to being the starter, as the former No. 3 quarterback will be the No. 2 quarterback this Sunday in Detroit. The timing could be coincidental, but the move still comes at the low point of the season for Hurts and the offense, which is certainly notable.
If Hurts and the offense don’t come out hot against Detroit, you have to wonder if Minshew is put into the game and Hurts is put onto the bench.
The Eagles season is pretty much over at 2-5, but a loss to the winless Lions would officially end it. Fans might be happy to hear that, considering the desire for a high draft pick, but the coaching staff and front office need a win.
Nick Sirianni needs to show his offense works. He can say publicly that he is committed to Hurts, but if Hurts struggles on Sunday and Sirianni is watching his season fall apart, a desperation change at quarterback is very possible.
Even if he might have more job security than he deserves right now, Howie Roseman won’t want to sit next to Jeffrey Lurie and watch his roster give the Lions their first win. Roseman watching a quarterback he traded a sixth-round pick for come in and play well, or at least better than Hurts, could be a job-saving move. Or, from an ownership perspective, getting the chance to see Sirianni with a different quarterback might be important as they evaluate him and decide if he should be back in 2022.
Inserting Minshew into the game might not work, but it might be the final card the Eagles have to play this season to try to salvage it. Without any kind of real commitment to Hurts, benching him won’t be a tough, emotional decision for anyone on the coaching staff or the front office, even if it might be the wrong one.
How long the Eagles should give Hurts to develop has been a hot debate in the city since the season started, and his play has resulted in equally heated discussions about whether he is showing progress or not.
Some feel he deserves more time and shouldn’t take the fall for the offense. They might be right.
Others think his flaws in the passing game are obvious and won’t change. They might be right too.
For whatever the fans and media think of Hurts, however, the Eagles’ feelings seem to be pretty clear and ultimately that is all that matters.
The debate can continue, but the reality is that Hurts time as the starter is officially on the hot seat, and if he doesn’t play well this Sunday, it could be coming to an end much sooner than expected.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!