Eagles 'Committed' to Jalen Hurts as Starting QB, Owner Jeffrey Lurie Says

The Philadelphia Eagles aren't second-guessing whether Jalen Hurts will be their starting quarterback for the 2022 NFL season.

Team owner Jeffrey Lurie told reporters Wednesday the Eagles are "committed to Jalen at age 23" and praised Hurts as "a guy that is incredibly dedicated" and an "excellent leader of men."

Trading Carson Wentz last offseason to make way for Hurts certainly proved to be the right move in hindsight. The Indianapolis Colts missed the playoffs, while the Eagles went 9-8 and claimed a wild-card spot.

Hurts also performed well, throwing for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions and running for a team-high 784 yards and 10 scores.

At the very least, the 23-year-old earned himself the opportunity to head into 2022 as the unquestioned starter in Philadelphia.

Still, there remains some doubt about whether Hurts is the definitive long-term solution. He finished with a 48.5 QBR, per Pro Football Reference, and he ranked 17th among quarterbacks in DYAR at Football Outsiders.

As much as Hurts improved, Philadelphia's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round might have been a harsh dose of reality. He went 23-of-43 for 258 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 31-15 defeat. The Eagles' points all came in the fourth quarter after Tampa Bay took a 31-0 lead.

It was a fitting end to a year in which Hurts looked great in moments and unconvincing in others.

Like Lurie, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni spoke positively about Hurts on Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings:

If Hurts has a big 2022 season, then the Eagles might have their next franchise quarterback. Should his development stagnate or even go backward, the front office might need to have some difficult conversations this time next offseason.