Throughout the spring, multiple reports have suggested that the Philadelphia Eagles could consider moving on from quarterback Jalen Hurts next offseason if he fails to impress while playing under first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion later this fall.
During a recent appearance on the “Takeoff with John Clark” program, Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata sent a strong message to those who are doubting what Hurts will accomplish during the 2026 season.
Jalen Hurts has “a new hunger” after offseason reports?
“I think he’s coming here with a new hunger,” Mailata said about Hurts, per Justin Grasso of Heavy. “You can see it on the field. You can see it in the classroom. You can see it in the meetings. You can see how vocal he is, leading with confidence, and if he doesn’t know it, he’ll ask the question and get it resolved right away.”
Reports from the first half of 2026 claimed that Hurts “has been the source of much internal frustration” within the Eagles and has allegedly rubbed people within the organization “the wrong way” since Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory in February 2025. Fair or not, the perception exists that the fact that Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown “grew apart” is a big reason Brown is now a New England Patriots player.
Jalen Hurts has a new fire after A.J. Brown trade?
“Being his teammate, [it’s] been really fun getting to see how he deals with the turbulence off the field,” Mailata added about Hurts. “Never deters him, never bothers him. He’s just cool, calm and collected all the time. …I see a fire lit under him. He’s probably gonna deny it if you ask him next week. He’s gonna deny it, but I see that.”
That supposed fire may grow bigger before August, as a recent report said the Eagles could target Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby if he enters this year’s supplemental draft for the NFL. According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, two unnamed general managers recently shared that they “are under the impression that the Eagles have done a lot of work on [Sorsby], and they believe this very much could be Jalen Hurts’ final season as the starter” in Philadelphia.
Then again, Hurts could play well enough from September through January (or February) to earn a new contract extension from his current employer.
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