Jalen Hurts is ready to turn the Philadelphia Eagles’ dream offense into a reality. He didn’t throw his first interception this summer until the very last day of training camp, showcasing his impressive performance across 15 practices and countless throws, many of which landed perfectly in the hands of his receivers.
Observers noted that Hurts appeared crisp, sharp, and fully in command. His confidence and comfort on the field were evident—qualities that were noticeably absent during the previous season.
“I just feel like he’s had an outstanding, outstanding camp,” stated Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni last week. “I’m really excited about where he is, just in complete control of the offense, delivering accurate balls, protecting the football. What an unbelievable camp he’s had.”
This level of performance shouldn’t come as a shock. Hurts is driven by the lessons learned from last year’s setbacks and is healthy after overcoming injuries that plagued him.
Moreover, he now has a roster filled with offensive talent like never before.
While the Eagles have been formidable in recent years, the current season boasts an unprecedented collection of offensive weapons. The signing of free agent running back Saquon Barkley has transformed them into a “Dream Team” of sorts. The recent acquisition of Jahan Dotson from the Washington Commanders adds the third receiver they’ve long sought.
With an offensive line that is expected to maintain its strength following the retirement of center Jason Kelce—who will be succeeded by guard Cam Jurgens, a former second-round pick—the Eagles have cultivated a unique energy on offense this offseason. Barkley felt this synergy the moment he joined the team, while Dotson expressed his amazement after his first practice, recalling the “goosebumps” he experienced.
“We have a lot of people who can make a lot of plays. It’s going to be fun,” Dotson remarked. “In all of my years of playing, I’ve never been on a team with this much talent.”
Hurts has enjoyed a wealth of talent during his tenure as the Eagles’ starter, benefiting from a potent 1-2 punch at receiver with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith over the last two seasons. The team has also boasted one of the NFL’s strongest rushing attacks, even before Barkley’s arrival.
However, the dynamics have shifted significantly. Barkley represents a substantial upgrade over the Eagles’ recent workhorse backs—Miles Sanders (2022) and D’Andre Swift (2023)—and he brings the added dimension of being a dangerous receiver out of the backfield. Dotson, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 draft, fills the long-standing need for a third receiver, alleviating pressure on the others.
“Most of the time I’m getting coverage rotated to me and I know they account for Smitty as well,” Brown noted. “But they’re probably not going to put their best over there (on Dotson). So he has mismatches all day.”
Indeed, mismatches should be plentiful across the field. What defense can effectively manage the threats posed by Brown, Smith, Barkley, tight end Dallas Goedert, and now Dotson? And let’s not forget Hurts, who just two seasons ago was a candidate for the MVP award and regarded as one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
His performance dipped toward the end of last season, where he was a strong candidate for MVP during Philadelphia’s 10-1 start, yet seemed to struggle later on. This was partly due to a lingering knee injury and some offensive dysfunction across the team. In the final seven games, he exceeded 200 passing yards only three times, throwing just six touchdown passes against five interceptions. His turnover issues were significant, with 15 interceptions and five lost fumbles, contributing to the Eagles’ disappointing 1-6 finish, including a playoff loss in Tampa.
“I’m in a better place, yeah,” Hurts expressed. “I think I’m in a better place physically. I obviously had some nicks there throughout the year, but you deal with those things. And all of those things have made me better. They’ve made me reevaluate some things, and they’ve allowed me to reassess, and I’ve been able to saturate myself in the right things.”
The “right things” surround him now—the solid offensive line, the Pro Bowl running back, three dynamic receivers, and a formidable tight end. The Eagles ranked as the No. 3 offense in the NFL during their Super Bowl season in 2022.
Yet, even that squad did not possess an arsenal of talent comparable to what they have today.
“I think it’s going to be hard for a lot of teams with the addition of Saquon, with Jahan and all the other weapons we have,” Smith commented. “If you just try to zero in on one person, we have plenty of other guys who can make plays.”
