Another day, another criticism pointed towards Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
It never seems to fail that someone with either go after Hurts for how he plays or how his stats are not as impressive. There is a new criticism that not many Eagles fans thought was something to discuss.
FanSided writer Lou Scataglia reviewed each NFL team's worst contracts, and he had a problem with the Eagles giving Hurts an average of $51 million per year. Scataglia returns to highlighting his stats and how he is fortunate to have the talent around him on offense.
"You might come at me for this, as I have been critical of Jalen Hurts for years, but there is a reason why Howie Roseman is also fielding a top-3 offensive line, elite WR duo, and elite running back; he's got no other choice, as Jalen Hurts is an extremely limited QB who just so happens to have 'aura' which seems to make folks thing he's a top QB.
He's not. Hurts has never thrown for 4,000 yards or hit the 25 passing touchdown mark in a season. He, like Justin Fields, holds onto the ball for too long and isn't always someone you can trust to play on time. The Eagles are lucky that Howie Roseman is such a great GM, as if not, this team wouldn't have gotten to where they are today."
Is the criticism worthy of what Hurts puts on the field?
Hurts 'aura that Scataglia discusses is the leadership quality and calmness that not many quarterbacks possess in their games. His demeanor is paramount to keeping the Eagles focused when mistakes happen.
He can help the offense in multiple facets of the game, whether it is throwing the football or running it. Hurts completed over 68% of his passes and had a passer rating of over 103. Not many quarterbacks in the NFL are hitting those types of numbers.
Over the last four years, Hurts has averaged 694.7 rushing yards per season. Everyone will chalk up most of his 55 career touchdowns to the Tush Push, but the yards are more than just that one play.
Hurts also had the best games of his career in the Super Bowl after throwing for 525 yards and three touchdowns to one interception. He also added 142 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Let's see any other quarterback do that in the biggest game of their careers.
Another aspect is his contract. It's not that bad compared to the other quarterbacks in the NFL. His $51 million per year average is eighth among quarterbacks with six of those quarterbacks never making the Super Bowl in their careers.
The criticism is more about his skill set not aligning with the contract value. This is something Hurts is going to face the rest of his career since he's not the guy who will throw for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. He will find other ways to win games.
It's unfair to criticize a guy who has been blessed to have a talented roster to lean on. Make no mistake about it, Hurts can play quarterback, and he's one of the best to do it.
