Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
It feels like we have the conversation around Jalen Hurts' standing among other NFL quarterbacks every few weeks. Sometimes it's because a talking head in the media has a hot take diminishing Hurts, other times it's someone making the case he's underrated. Whatever it is, Hurts gets people talking as a polarizing figure.
The newest line of discourse will be centered around ESPN's latest poll, where they asked executives, scouts and coaches to rank the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL. Hurts was ranked ninth after being an honorable mention last season. His highest ranking in the poll was sixth, while some people didn't rank him at all, according to the article written by Jeremy Fowler:
"The question isn't whether Hurts belongs in the top 10 — he undoubtably does. It's whether he has the ability from the pocket to vault into the top five eventually as his Super pedigree would suggest he could.
"More than a few voters see shades of a Russell Wilson career arc— Hurts has many traits that contribute to winning at a high level but needs a steady running game around him and wouldn't necessarily thrive in a pass-heavy system."
Jared Goff, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford and Jayden Daniels were all ranked ahead of Hurts. Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes were as well, but that isn't surprising since they are seen as the consensus top four in the sport.
Goff and Herbert's ranking might cause an uproar, considering their shortcomings in the playoffs, while Hurts won Super Bowl MVP.
However, the Eagles' signal caller has some detractors, as pointed out by Fowler. Some argue Hurts is carried by the Eagles' strong roster around him, with weapons like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the outside. Mix in the Eagles' elite offensive line and Saquon Barkley — the best running back in the NFL — and you have arguably the most dangerous offense in the league.
It's hard to dispute that Hurts' job is easier because of the Eagles' weapons. It's likely why Hurts doesn't find himself higher up on ESPN's ranking, among others.
Hurts' advantageous situation doesn't mean he's not an elite quarterback, though. He played his best football when the Eagles needed him most last season. He had two of the best games of his career against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game and Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
If Hurts had more consistent performances across the season, he probably would've found himself ranked higher. Though, for large portions of the season, the Eagles' passing game was up and down. Hurts looked hesitant at times, and didn't have much of a rhythm when he dropped back to pass.
Questions arose about whether the Eagles passing game would hold them back in the postseason. Barkley helped keep the offense at a high level with his record-setting year, but eventually Hurts needed to show up, and he did.
Since becoming the Eagles starting quarterback, Hurts has done nothing but win games, with a 46-20 record. In 2022, he finished second in MVP voting, behind Mahomes.
He took more risks with the ball in 2023 and it led to a career-high 15 interceptions. Hurts was more safe this past season, only throwing five interceptions. Sometimes his passiveness was criticized, but Hurts was effective. The Eagles were the best team in the NFL from start to finish and concluded the season on top.
That's the only thing Hurts cares about, not where he falls on quarterback rankings. Even if Hurts isn't concerned about stuff like this, there certainly is an argument for Hurts to be above players like Goff and Herbert.
The last time we saw Hurts, he was lifting the Lombardi trophy. Hebert, on the other hand, had one of the worst games of his career, throwing four interceptions in the Wild Card Round versus the Houston Texans. Goff was also getting sent home as the No. 1 seed at home, by a rookie quarterback in Daniels.
Time will tell whether ESPN's ranking will be justified. Goff heads into the new season without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who left for the Chicago Bears, and a drop in production could be coming. Meanwhile, it'll be interesting to see how Herbert bounces back from his playoff shortcoming.
The only other two quarterbacks Hurts might have an argument over are Daniels and Stafford. Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons of all-time, while Stafford continues to show why he's a potential Hall of Famer.
Can Hurts be better than them at his peak? Sure. When he's at his best, Hurts can be a top-five quarterback. He would be universally more respected if he showed his dominance more often. That might not be how Hurts rolls, but he has a chance to change that this season.
