Former QB skewers Eagles' Jalen Hurts

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 19, 2024 12:40 PM ET

Eagles star Jalen Hurts is taking the heat after Philadelphia collapsed this past season, and one former quarterback has joined the bandwagon.

"I respect a lot about Jalen Hurts, but I think Jalen Hurts is also like the most overrated player in football," NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms recently told WIP-FM in Philadelphia. "He plays QB for a team that's an all-star team. They have the best o-line in football, it's not even close. They got maybe the best duo at receiver in all of football."

Hurts regressed slightly after he finished second in MVP voting in 2022. In 17 games, he completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 23 touchdowns, a career-high 15 interceptions and an 89.1 passer rating, close to the league average.

The Eagles (11-6) lost five of their last six games, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eliminated them in the wild-card round.

The 25-year-old fell shy of expectations; however, calling him the most overrated player in the league is a stretch.

Philadelphia's defense ranked 30th in the league in points (25.6) and passing yards (255.7) allowed. Per Pro Football Reference, the Eagles averaged 4.8 yards after the catch, tied for 27th in the league.

Simms has been a staunch Hurts critic throughout his career. In 2021, he ranked him outside of his top 40 QBs. And in December 2022, he argued Hurts didn't deserve to win MVP.

He still needs to improve in some areas, and the Eagles reportedly want him to become "more of a vocal leader."

Philadelphia needs someone who can fire up the locker room, especially if center Jason Kelce retires. But this take seems unwarranted, as he's a solid starting QB and a franchise cornerstone.

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