Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman doubled down Wednesday on his support for Jalen Hurts amid speculation the team could pursue a standout veteran quarterback this offseason.
“There’s no doubt about it,” Roseman said at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, when asked whether the organization still feels Hurts is Philadelphia’s starting quarterback. “We have Jalen Hurts, who is a 23-year-old quarterback who led his team to the playoffs, and he’s going to get better and better and better. He’s going to do everything possible to get better, and we have to do our part in [helping] that.”
The Eagles have three first-round picks in next month’s NFL draft. That surplus in draft capital, plus the extensive homework they did on Deshaun Watson last offseason, helped fuel widespread speculation that the Eagles would make a run at a more established quarterback.
But for the second time this offseason, Roseman backed Hurts.
Shortly after their playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January, Roseman said he was of the mindset that Hurts would be the starter in 2022, with coach Nick Sirianni adding that Hurts “knows he’s our guy.”
“You can see the progression of him getting better throughout the year,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “He led us to the playoffs. Obviously we want to go further than that, and we’re really confident that Jalen’s a guy that can help us do that.”
Roseman also provided a health update Wednesday on Hurts, who played through a high left ankle sprain down the stretch last season and had surgery in early February. The Eagles are “really optimistic” Hurts will be ready for the start of the offseason program, Roseman said.
Hurts led all NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards (784) and rushing touchdowns (10) while also completing 61.3% of his passes for 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first year as a starter.