Eagles reportedly could make shocking QB move in 2026 amid Jalen Hurts' struggles

On Wednesday morning, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni essentially scoffed at the idea that he could bench starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in favor of Tanner McKee or Sam Howell.

However, it sounds like some within the NFL now believe Sirianni and Co. are questioning if Hurts is the Eagles' long-term answer at the position. 

Will Eagles look for future Jalen Hurts replacement in 2026? 

"Some people around the league were starting to think the Eagles might draft a quarterback high in 2026 even before Jalen Hurts' four-interception performance Monday," ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared for an article that was updated after Sirianni offered his comments about Hurts. "The prediction from those folks: [Eagles general manager Howie Roseman] snags a passer on Day 2, allowing Hurts to serve as the starter in 2026 while having a future starter to develop."

As Fowler noted, the Eagles had Carson Wentz atop their depth chart when they selected Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In the spring of 2023, Philadelphia signed Hurts to a five-year contract extension reportedly worth up to $255M with $179.3M guaranteed. However, on-and-off questions about his future have hovered over the Eagles since at least January 2024. 

Hurts seemed to silence such questions when he earned Super Bowl LIX Most Valuable Player honors this past February. That said, star running back and reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley was widely seen as the real MVP of the 2024 Eagles. 

Meanwhile, Pro Football Reference stats show that Hurts began Wednesday ranked 20th in the NFL with a 51.9 adjusted QBR, 17th with a 64.7 percent completion percentage and 19th with an average of 211.8 passing yards per game for the ongoing season. Over 13 contests, he passed for 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for eight scores. 

Are Eagles worried about Jalen Hurts?

"The Eagles know that their passing game struggles largely because Hurts has limitations," Fowler continued. "The reality is the 2024 season was an aberration because Saquon Barkley and a dominant O-line were breaking off big gains weekly, opening up play-action and downfield shots for the passing game. This isn't the same offensive line, which means the Barkley gains aren't as frequent." 

Fowler added that "Hurts is still a question mark in Year 6." It now seems as if Hurts could spend the rest of this season trying to convince the Eagles that they don't need to spend a high-value draft pick on a quarterback next spring. The first-place Eagles (8-5) host the Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) this coming Sunday.