Eagles face Jalen Hurts contract dilemma that could jeopardize team's future

Welcome to the complicated world of football business. At least it will be for the Philadelphia Eagles and their star quarterback, Jalen Hurts.

ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler wrote a lengthy article on what they are hearing from NFL teams and answered some interesting questions. Granziano led off the question regarding offseason quarterback contract questions and which ones to watch out for. His response was to look at how the Eagles want to handle Hurts' current deal.

"He (Hurts) went first that (2023) offseason, before Jackson, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert got their deals. As a result, all of those guys make more than Hurts. Since signing that deal, Hurts has gone 32-12 and won a Super Bowl MVP. Hurts is signed through 2028, with $51.5 million fully guaranteed for 2026, so there might not be a need to discuss an extension this coming offseason. But he's also the 11th-highest paid quarterback in the league by average annual salary, behind a lot of guys who've accomplished a lot less than he has.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Eagles address this situation next spring or summer. I would be surprised if Hurts wanted to go first this time, rather than wait to see what happens with Jackson and others."

Fowler responded to Graziano's comment that the Eagles' ending this season will make all the difference in what the team wants to do.

"How Hurts plays over the next 10 games plus the playoffs could determine the path forward there. If he catalyzes another deep playoff run, the Eagles would be smart to approach him. His passing from the pocket has been erratic, to be sure. But all he does is win, and he's a plus in the toughness and intangibles categories."

What should the Eagles do with Hurts' contract in the offseason?

Hurts is currently on a five-year, $255 million deal with the team that he signed in 2023. He's in the third year of his deal that will be up after the 2028 season.

Most people on the outside who are not a fan of Hurts would probably say to trade or offload him in some capacity since he isn't a "great passer." Obviously, the Eagels would be crazy to do this.

That leaves them with a couple of scenarios. The first is that the Eagles quickly make Hurts one of the highest-paid players in the NFL to ensure he stays on the team for a long time. Don't be surprised if they try to work their Howie Roseman salary cap magic with a ton of guaranteed money or some other form of up-front payment to take it off the salary cap.

On the other side, there is a point that Hurts might want to wait it out and see how other quarterbacks are being paid. He's in a rare class as a Super Bowl MVP and has some leverage by just playing the waiting game.

One thing the Eagles have always been good at is ensuring that doesn't happen, unlike their rival, the Dallas Cowboys, who end up overpaying every player without getting the proper production out of them. Philly will most likely push for Hurts to make progress so they can get him to stay longer and help themselves with the salary cap down the road.

It's going to be tough because if the Eagles don't get something done, it might mess up their financials when trying to sign free agents in the future. This is also significant for Hurts as he is trying to ensure he gets the best deal possible.

This is going to become a common trend now that teams will rework their quarterbacks' contracts every two years, similar to what the Buffalo Bills just did with Josh Allen this offseason. Philly will try to do the same with Hurts and keep their star quarterback.