Eagles 'Married' to Carson Wentz Despite Jalen Hurts Draft Pick, Says GM Roseman

The Philadelphia Eagles raised a lot of eyebrows when they invested a second-round pick in Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, a year after signing Carson Wentz to a four-year, $128 million contract extension. 

But despite questions about whether Hurts' selection suggested a lack of confidence in Wentz, general manager Howie Roseman told Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network on Thursday that the team remains "married" to Wentz:

That may be the case, but then why not use an important pick like a second-rounder to get Wentz more weapons on offense or to improve at need positions on defense?

One answer may be that the Eagles plan to use Hurts in unique ways next season, perhaps in a similar way to how the New Orleans Saints utilize Taysom Hill as a run/pass threat. Maybe Wentz and Hurts will share the field at times next year. They could even occasionally use Hurts as a running back. The 6'1", 222-pounder ran for 3,274 yards and 43 touchdowns in four years as a QB.

"He has a great skill set that we can use as a quarterback and as a runner," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio in a text that was revealed on Get Up. "He's tough, competitive, a proven winner. 

Garafolo also spoke previously about the possibility of Hurts being used as a "straight running back" and having his "own unique role":

Granted, there's is also some basis for investing resources in Wentz's backup. The 27-year-old has dealt with his fair share of injuries, missing the team's title run in the 2017 season and the playoff run in 2018 as well as suffering a concussion during last year's wild-card loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 

Wentz did play in all 16 regular-season games for the Eagles last year, throwing for 4,039 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 63.9 percent of his passes. Those numbers were all the more impressive considering the number of injuries the Eagles had on the offensive line and at wide receiver as well as the team's consistent issues with drops. 

So yes, Wentz is the starter going forward. Hurts is the backup, with the chance to carve out an additional role on offense. It will be an interesting situation to monitor going forward.