Watch Out, NFL — Jalen Hurts Is Evolving

The Philadelphia Eagles held the first practice of training camp on Wednesday, as reporters in attendance got their first glimpse of the full team in action. Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts has been at the center of criticism after a disappointing end to last season. Following an offseason full of change, Hurts remains one of the pillars of consistency in Philadelphia.

Despite all of the questions and criticism that have been aimed at Hurts throughout his career, both in college and in the NFL, he remains unwavered. Hurts’ resume at the game’s highest level ranks ahead of, or can go toe-to-toe with, those that he is often ranked below. Yet the soon-to-be 28-year-old quarterback continues to block out the noise and lets his work on the field speak for itself.

But following the departure of former close friend and All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown, it seems like Hurts has changed his approach this offseason — for the better. Here’s a closer look at the evolution of one of the league’s most successful modern day quarterbacks and why it should scare the rest of the NFL.

On the Field

After last season’s nightmare performance on offense, everyone knew that something needed to change. The Eagles decided to make several key changes, headlined by the hiring of first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and Brown’s departure. Despite those changes, many were still questioning if Hurts was the one that was holding back Philadelphia’s offense.

Once Mannion was hired, the expectation was that he would implement an offensive scheme that primarily operated from under center, which is something that Hurts has rarely done. Fast forward to the first day of training camp and Hurts is embracing the changes under Mannion. He reportedly looked smooth while operating from under center during team drills and seems comfortable.

Another key point of criticism for Hurts on the field was his seemingly unwillingness to throw the ball over the middle of the field. While Hurts has shown the ability to do so, it had become somewhat of a rarity in Philadelphia’s offense when he was on the field. But once again, the early reports from training camp are that Hurts is letting it rip across the middle of the field.

During the first practice of training camp, Hurts reportedly made several impressive throws over the middle of the field. Hurts connected with second-year wide receiver Darius Cooper for a deep completion over Cooper DeJean. Then Hurts linked up with new WR1, DeVonta Smith, for a completion on an in-breaking route over the middle of the field with Quinyon Mitchell in coverage.

While it’s still early in training camp and Hurts may make mistakes along the way, he seems to be off to a strong start in Mannion’s offense. Several quarterbacks around the NFL have excelled in similar offensive schemes and we could see Hurts take a significant step forward in 2026, despite some questioning if he was willing (and able) to do so.

Off the Field

Following Brown’s departure, many began to question Hurts and his approach off the field. From the outside looking in, Hurts can come across as introverted and somewhat quiet. In a world that often elevates the loudest person in the room, Hurts opts to let his actions do the talking for him. Yet Philadelphia’s star quarterback may have changed his approach this offseason.

Hurts organized a team activity in Florida this offseason, which appeared to include work on the field and a golf outing. Hurts led a group that included many of Philadelphia’s most important skill position players on offense. It was a refreshing sight that hasn’t always been the case during Hurts’ tenure as the Eagles starting quarterback.

Yet that’s not all. Hurts also shared pictures from an offseason workout at the University of Houston with Eagles wide receivers Makai Lemon and Hollywood Brown. Hurts was spotted dancing at DeVonta Smith’s wedding. He attended Jordan Mailata’s charity event. Hurts was asked about his seemingly new offseason approach following the team’s first practice of training camp.

“I’m always intentional to get everyone together,” Hurts said. “To have everyone express and show hunger to build, I was excited about that and it will pay forward.”

It’s clear that Hurts is more hungry than ever before following an offseason full of change and criticism that was mostly aimed his way. Eagles starting left tackle Jordan Mailata essentially admitted that Hurts has changed his approach in an interview with Kay Adams on Up & Adams.

“The way he came into the building was different,” Mailata said. “His attentiveness in meetings, the way he spoke in the meetings was amazing — it was different. Even the way he drilled out there (the practice field), it was different. He stayed back, almost every day, to do drills with the wide receivers.”

Many on the outside have speculated about Hurts’ newfound approach off the field. Now it’s refreshing to see that it has been confirmed by the man himself and one of the other team captains in Philadelphia. After last season’s struggles were plagued by a bit of drama, often involving Brown’s unhappiness, Hurts shared a notable message that he wrote down during a recent team meeting.

“100% alignment and zero entitlement,” Hurts said. While he won’t admit that the message is a shot at Brown, there’s a subtle jab in there. The Eagles are an incredibly talented team that has excelled when everyone can put their pride to the side. That was clearly an issue last season. Yet as Hurts continues to evolve, both on and off the field, that likely won’t be an issue in Philadelphia moving forward.