Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is coming off an MVP caliber season in leading his team to the NFC Championship.
In just his third NFL season, Hurts looked every bit the part of an elite franchise quarterback. We’re talking team leadership, passing the ball and being a dynamic dual-threat out of the backfield.
It’s now going to result in the 24-year-old Hurts getting paid big time this offseason. General manager Howie Roseman did not hide from this fact in meeting with reporters on Monday.
“It’s no secret that sometime relatively soon we want to extend our quarterback. Our whole kind of roster building is going to turn a little bit here from a quarterback on a rookie deal towards hopefully a quarterback on a long-term deal.”
Roseman on pending Jalen Hurts contract extension
A second-round pick of the Eagles back in 2020, Hurts is technically slated to become a free agent after the 2023 season. Unlike other quarterbacks from that draft class such as Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, Philadelphia doesn’t have a fifth-year option to exercise.
Those are limited to first-round selections, meaning that it’s paramount to get something done this offseason. Simply put, Philadelphia wants to avoid a Lamar Jackson-type situation while being forced to place the franchise tag on Hurts next offseason.
Related: Jalen Hurts and the best NFL quarterbacks of 2023
What a Jalen Hurts contract extension will look like
As the Lamar Jackson contract situation plays out in real time, Philadelphia has been active attempting to get things done behind the scenes with Hurts.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted earlier in the offseason that $45 million annually is “the starting off point” in discussions. The insider went on to indicate that “it may not even be close.” From an on-field standpoint, Hurts has more than earned it.
- Jalen Hurts stats (2022): 66.5% completion, 3,701 passing yards, 760 rushing yards, 35 total TD, 6 INT, 101.5 QB rating
Despite Philadelphia losing Super Bowl LVII to the Kansas City Chiefs, Hurts was able to put up a record-setting performance. That included the former Oklahoma standout tallying 374 total yards and four touchdowns. It was one of the greatest quarterback performances in Super Bowl history.
Outside of this, Hurts’ market could be impacted should the aforementioned Burrow sign an extension with the Cincinnati Bengals. A recent report suggests that Burrow could get between $55 and $60 million on his next contract with Cincinnati, impacting what Hurts ends up receiving from Philadelphia.
Projected Jalen Hurts contract: 5 years, $260 million with $150 million fully guaranteed
This contract would place Hurts second behind only Deshaun Watson in fully guaranteed cash. His average annual salary of $52 million would represent a high-water mark in NFL history. At this point, it just seems to be a matter of time.
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