Eagles owner pressuring coach to name Jalen Hurts starting QB?

Jalen Hurts has a clear path to earning the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback job next season now that Carson Wentz has been traded. However, there have been reports that the team plans to bring in competition for the former Alabama star. The question now is whether or not team owner Jeffrey Lurie will allow that.

During Monday’s episode of “Get Up!,” ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said Lurie views Hurts as “the guy” and wants the team to do everything possible to make him the starting quarterback.

“Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Eagles, has basically sent the message to his personnel department and his general manager Howie Roseman that he wants to do everything he can to help Jalen Hurts be successful and not bring in somebody to compete for the job,” Mortensen said, via Elliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP SportsRadio. “Now they have a new head coach in Nick Sirianni, he understands what the owner wants, the owner gets.”

Eagles reporter Les Bowen questioned Mortensen’s report, noting that the team must have made that determination very recently if the report is true. Mortensen clarified that there is not consensus within the organization about Hurts being named the starter but that is what the owner wants.

I would not report the Eagles have internal unanimity on Hurts as QB1 but sources say the boss, Jeffrey Lurie, has instructed his group to prioritize making Hurts successful in 2021 as opposed to creating a true competition.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) March 8, 2021

The Eagles have the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and many analysts have predicted they will take a quarterback. If Lurie views Hurts as the starter, that may alter the team’s draft approach.

Hurts has certainly been acting like the Eagles’ starting QB this offseason. It would take a lot for him to lose the job, especially if he has the support of ownership with a new coach in place.