The city of Philadelphia has been engulfed in controversy over the Eagles selecting Jalen Hurts with the 53rd overall pick in the NFL Draft, 10 months after handing franchise quarterback Carson Wentz $107.9 million guaranteed and making him the highest-paid quarterback in league history (at the time).
Hurts knows why he's in Philadelphia, but was wise to generate any further debate regarding his status with the franchise when he was on Angelo Cataldi and The Morning Show on SportsRadio 94WIP Monday.
Angelo Cataldi: Are you aware of the debate going on in Philadelphia whether the Eagles should have gone out and drafted a backup QB so high in the draft?
Jalen Hurts: "I'm not."
Cataldi: You are not aware of this?
Hurts: "No."
After wisely giving a vague answer, Cataldi filled Hurts in regarding the debate surrounding the Eagles selecting a backup quarterback rather than an immediate contributor. Hurts didn't have much to say after being notified.
"It's a dream for me to play at this level. Now it's time to grind and help this team. It all comes down to that," Hurts said. "What I do see in the future is me working really hard. I'm just really ready to get to work with the team, with the guys, and get ready to grow."
The Eagles have Wentz entrenched as their franchise quarterback, but have been in the playoffs three consecutive seasons and Wentz has played a total of nine snaps due to season-ending injuries. Since Wentz has missed 10 games over the past three seasons with numerous injuries (played all 16 regular season games last season and started every game), Hurts is a potential insurance policy in case Wentz would go down again.
Hurts is taking advantage of the opportunity, not placing any expectations on his role in Philadelphia.
"The Eagles want me to come in and be the competitor I am. Compete every day and take steps as a quarterback," Hurts said. "I'm surrounded by a great quarterback in Carson, great coaches -- who all want me to succeed at the position.
"This is an opportunity for me to learn and I'm here to serve this team in any way I can. I'm excited for it."
The selection of Hurts in the second round will always be up for debate, especially if Hurts doesn't play much over the next few seasons. A healthy Wentz will negate that, but Eagles head coach Doug Pederson admitted the franchise will use him in a Taysom Hill-type role.
There's a spot on this team for Hurts, as the Eagles clearly value his skills as a quarterback.
"He's a quarterback first. That's how we're going to develop him, and then obviously utilize his strength as a runner and maybe some other things as we go throughout this spring," Pederson said. "When you have somebody like a Jalen Hurts that is right there on your board, yeah, we understand that might not be the sexy pick; might not be the glamorous pick.
"But when we look at it as an organization and a team, we're doing the best thing in the best interest of the Philadelphia Eagles, and we have to take advantage of that."
