DeVonta Smith responds to the negativity surrounding QB Jalen Hurts
As the dust begins to settle on what has been an unhinged NFL offseason, it’s looking more and more like Jalen Hurts will be leading the Eagles for the second consecutive season.
While a good portion of the fanbase hoped that GM Howie Roseman would trade for one of the available elite quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers ended up staying in Green Bay. At the same time, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson were sent to the AFC.
Barring an unexpected draft selection — which the Eagles have infamously done before — Hurts is poised to start for Philly in what may be his final chance to win over the franchise.
I’ve been vocal about my opinions on Hurts: he showed flashes in 2021 and should be afforded the opportunity to develop for another season:
My stance on Jalen Hurts has never wavered — hope for progression in 2022 and if he underwhelms, look for another quarterback next offseason.
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) March 21, 2022
I know some of you have already made up your mind, but I’m willing to remain patient.
His former Alabama teammate, DeVonta Smith, shares the same sentiment. The Eagles wide receiver recently spoke with Josh Tolentino of The Philadelphia Inquirer and gave his thoughts on the pessimism that currently surrounds his 23-year-old quarterback:
“He continues to come in every day knowing that people are going to talk about you, not everyone necessarily agrees with him being there as our starting quarterback,” Smith says. “But he tunes that noise out every day, and he constantly wants to make everyone around him better and make himself better. Like I can’t exaggerate how much he really wants to make us just go. Most people might shy away from that challenge.
“But that’s the type of people you want around you. He embraces it. He continues to come in and do everythan’ he can do. He’s not shy about his mistakes. That’s the type of quarterback you want. Just because there’s problems here and there, he ain’t neva’ goin’ to run from it. None of us are running from it.”
Does Hurts have work to do as a passer? Evidently. Will he do everything in his power to overcome those hurdles? Everyone knows he will.
The intangibles aren’t the issue with Jalen; it’s his sheer ability to read defenses, trust his receivers and get the ball out on time.
Those skills develop over time with more reps, and with just 19 starts to his name, there is obvious room for improvement. Whether the organization is patient enough to wait for progression is another conversation, but Hurts is the guy for at least the 2022 season.
100% certain Hurts would’ve like ran like hell on this play in Week 3. #Growth pic.twitter.com/w3thamTuTL
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) December 27, 2021
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Mandatory Credit: AP Photo | Rich Schultz
[…] Hurts is a polarizing figure among the Philadelphia fanbase. Many have little confidence that he can be the longterm solution at quarterback. Despite the noise, Hurts’ teammates are firmly behind him as a leader, including WR DeVonta Smith. […]