Jalen Hurts will certainly be in a quarterback competition with Carson Wentz this offseason, the first under new Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni as the franchise has yet to decide whether Wentz or Hurts will be the starting quarterback for the 2021 season. The Eagles remain uncommitted to Wentz despite four years and a $132 million cap hit kicking in.
Hurts can only control what he can control, as the Eagles starting quarterback job is undecided -- a competition he's willing to embrace.
"That's a great question," Hurts said when asked on CBS Sports HQ Tuesday. "I'm putting the work in on my end. I'm trying to put in relationships with my guys. i'm just trying to take the next step. Regardless of what's what, I'm challenging myself to be the best quarterback I can be.
"Learn from my mistakes as a team, learn from my mistakes last year. Those four games I got the opportunity to get my feet wet and take off next year."
Hurts started four games for the Eagles after being used in a Taysom Hill-type role the first 12 games of the season, only throwing three passes before replacing Wentz for good in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. In his four starts, Hurts completed 51.9% of his passes (69 for 133) for 919 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions for a 77.2 passer rating. Hurts also had 46 carries for 272 yards and three touchdowns in those four starts.
There's plenty for Hurts to improve on from year one to year two, which is vital toward winning the Eagles quarterback job. Plenty of work needs to be done in order to become the next starting quarterback.
"Simply just leveling up on every part of my game," Hurts said on what he needs to do to win the job. "Building relationships with the coaches we have, seeing it how they see it, that's always pivotal. Creating an identity, and how they want to go about it. That's a big point for me and that will help me as well as a player."
Competition is nothing new for Hurts, who always seems to be competing for a job. Hurts was the starting quarterback at Alabama before being replaced by Tua Tagovailoa in the national championship game, only to lead the Crimson Tide to the SEC championship the next year when Tagovailoa was injured in the conference title game (and a berth in the college football playoffs). Hurts transferred to Oklahoma and was a Heisman Trophy finalist before being drafted by the Eagles in the second round of last year's draft. He was in a quarterback competition with Wentz after the former Pro Bowler regressed into one of the worst quarterbacks in the league this past season.
Hurts is going into the offseason with an open mind, controlling what he can control as he seeks to win the starting job.
"It's always been a business, in college and the pros, and I've always understood that," Hurts said. "One thing I've always have done, I've always tried to keep the right mentality. The main thing I can control is my work ethic, my effort, where my head's at. The relationships I've had with those around me -- building them as a man and building them as a player. I've always been rooted in my faith."
