How the Eagles Should Handle the Current QB Controversy
There are three certainties in life: Death, taxes, and quarterback controversies in Philadelphia.
Just when the Eagles and Carson Wentz had turned the page on the Nick Foles chapter, Howie Roseman went out of his way to create a new quarterback controversy by selecting Jalen Hurts with the 53rd overall pick.
Wentz had just put an entire offense on his back and willed them into the playoffs, he had finally been given back the keys to the team, and it was decimated within a matter of months.
Eight months later, the situation has played out exactly how’d you expect when a team selects a quarterback in the 2nd round after signing their pre-existing quarterback to a $127 million extension. Wentz has inevitably lost his confidence, leading to benching, and Hurts will get his first start as an NFL quarterback this Sunday against the Saints. If there was an award for the worst treatment of a franchise quarterback, it would unanimously go to the Philadelphia Eagles.
With all of that said, however, the Eagles can still fix their quarterback situation with the following steps.
Start Hurts for the Rest of the Season
Photo: Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports
Wentz has undoubtedly been in a dire situation for all of 2020, but continuing to start him will only be a detriment to his already barren confidence. Instead, the Eagles should start Hurts for the rest of the season in order to raise his value. Howie Roseman said in April that one of his intentions behind drafting Hurts was to be able to create future assets.
If the Eagles want to be able to do that, Hurts needs to see the field as much as possible. He’s clearly got talent, going back to his college playing days at both Alabama and Oklahoma, and he showed he can do it at the NFL level as well, throwing extremely well-placed balls this past Sunday against the Packers.
Make Major Front Office and Coaching Changes
It is unquestionable that this front office and coaching staff needs serious house cleaning, starting from the top with the general manager and executive vice president, Howie Roseman. Roseman’s been one of the demons that Carson Wentz has had to deal with his entire career, continuously making wine from the water with the poor surrounding cast that Roseman has dealt him. His know-it-all ego to stray away from scouts and go with his own judgment has always failed when it’s come to draft time, and it shows, as he’s drafted just one pro bowler in the last five drafts in Carson Wentz. He’s also put the team in one of the worst salary cap situations in the league for next year, at almost $64 million dollars over the cap. Whether it’s Wentz or Hurts who will be the face of the franchise for the future, neither can grow when Roseman is the one making roster moves.
On the coaching side, it’s time for the Eagles to bring in a real offensive coordinator. They opted to have the coordinator position open-ended this season, with Press Taylor as the passing game coordinator, Jeff Stoutland as the running game coordinator, and Doug Pederson at the helm as play-caller. That has obviously been a disaster, as the Eagles currently rank 26th in points per game. Instead, the Eagles need to hire a true offensive coordinator that can specialize in play design and game planning. Doug Pederson has consistently shown a lack of creativity in his plays, as well as poor situational awareness, but don’t forget, he was the one calling plays in 2017. Pederson doesn’t have to be fired, nor give up play-calling, but he needs someone by his side that can have serious input in offensive scheming.
The next coaching change that needs to be made is the replacement of Press Taylor. It’s no secret that John DeFilippo did wonders for Carson Wentz between 2016-2017. On the contrary, Taylor has allowed Wentz to continue to make the same mechanical mistakes without correction. Taylor and Wentz are good friends, but right now, Wentz doesn’t need a friend as a coach. What he needs is someone who won’t let the screws come off of him. In particular, the Eagles should target Ken Dorsey of the Buffalo Bills, Pep Hamilton of the Los Angeles Chargers, or Pat O’Hara of the Tennessee Titans. Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, and Ryan Tannehill have improved and thrived under each coach, respectively, and the same can be done to salvage Wentz.
Trade Jalen Hurts to a Quarterback Needy Team
Photo: Eric Hartline/USA Today Sports
Should Hurts get the starting position for the rest of the season, he will win games and look doing it. Consequently, teams will begin to place tabs on him, in particular, those in search of a quarterback. If Hurts’ value rises to anything beyond a 2nd round pick, the Eagles need to pull the trigger and trade him. In doing so, they will have successfully flipped a disastrous pick into future assets and cleared up yet another quarterback controversy, essentially killing two birds with one stone.
Hurts will get a chance to be a full-time starter for a different team and Wentz will have regained the keys to the offense, resulting in all parties getting what they want. With the departure of Hurts, Wentz will then get the chance of recreating his 2017 success under new coaching and a front office that won’t fail to provide him with well-stocked artillery.
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