AP

Super Bowl-bound Eagles are built around QB Jalen Hurts

Feb 3, 2023, 6:07 PM | Updated: Feb 4, 2023, 3:58 pm

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts runs a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training f...

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts runs a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)


              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts carries football between drills during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts, left, and Gardner Minshew run a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts throws a pass during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts throws a pass during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts jogs to practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts runs a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts speaks during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
            
              Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts smiles during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to draft Jalen Hurts in 2020 came with as much hand-wringing as intrigue regarding how to use the talented Heisman Trophy finalist.

The Eagles already had quarterback Carson Wentz locked into a $128 million contract. They certainly had more pressing needs at the time on all sides of the ball.

Three seasons later, there’s no doubt in Philly that drafting Hurts was the right call.

Hurts would win any Philly most-popular athlete poll these days — well, it is football season — and the third-year quarterback has the Eagles just one win away from only their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history.

Turns out, the Eagles were built on the strength of a QB still on his paltry rookie deal. He’s a finalist for AP NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and tied a franchise record with 33 total touchdowns.

At just 24, Hurts has a Super Bowl — and super riches — ahead. He’s due for a new contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of $50 million a season, one that could rival the mammoth 10-year contract given to Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes that has choked the team’s salary cap. The Chiefs have been creative in finding ways to remain at an elite level despite Mahomes’ salary. The Eagles will have to do the same.

General manager Howie Roseman has been masterful of late at making all the right moves in drafts, trades and smart contracts. If the Eagles are to remain contenders for the same window the Chiefs have smashed open with Mahomes, Roseman will have to be just as adept at working the salary cap and finding gems in the draft.

The future can wait until Feb. 13. On deck, the Super Bowl.

“We want to go out there and play to our standard,” Hurts said. “That doesn’t change, regardless of the magnitude of the game.”

The Eagles offseason is already off to an astounding start. Roseman swung a 2022 draft-weekend deal with New Orleans that involved all draft picks — notably, the Eagles would get the Saints’ first-round pick in 2023. Hey, the Saints were supposed to be pretty good and a pick in the 20s would have been fine. Instead, the Saints sank (though they did beat the Eagles) and Philadelphia has the No. 10 pick of the draft. Not bad for a team in the Super Bowl. The Eagles can only hope they can land a star player that could keep them championship contenders for another decade.

Odds are, though, this time they won’t stun anyone and pick a quarterback.

OFFENSE

Did someone say steal? Roseman outmaneuvered the Titans during the 2022 draft when he engineered a deal to get wide receiver A.J. Brown.

With Brown upset with his contract in Tennessee, the Eagles sent two draft picks to the Titans and immediately gave the wide receiver a $100 million, four-year deal with $57 million guaranteed. Brown was worth the price and his playmaking ability has only brought out the best in Hurts. The two are close friends and their chemistry is evident on the field.

He had 155 yards receiving in his Eagles debut and kept on rolling all the way to 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season. He topped Mike Quick’s 1,409 yards in 1983 for the Eagles’ single-season high.

Across the field, DeVonta Smith put up similar bold numbers. Smith, a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, finished his second NFL season with 95 catches, which are the most by a wide receiver in team history.

Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson have anchored the offensive line for a decade. Miles Sanders was a second-round pick who had 1,269 yards rushing this season and 11 touchdowns. Dallas Goedert has blossomed into one of the top tight ends in the league and made the offense one of the more dynamic in the league.

DEFENSE

Did someone say steal, Part II? Haason Reddick signed a $45 million, three-year contract, that included $30 million guaranteed. It turned in one of the greatest season performances in team history. He had 16 sacks and 3½ more in the playoffs to pace the Eagles. Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox are 10-plus-year veterans who helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jake Elliott, a fifth-round pick in 2017, has kept a low profile this season as Philadelphia’s fourth-down aggressiveness has kept him from putting up big field goal numbers. Elliott has at least been automatic on extra points, missing only one this season. It seems almost laughable that it’s worth noting, but Dallas kicker Brett Maher missed five extra points in the postseason.

The Eagles this week activated the 21-day practice window for punter Arryn Siposs to return from injured reserve. Siposs had been sidelined since mid-December with an ankle injury. The Eagles have since used veteran Brett Kern. Siposs could be activated for the Super Bowl ahead of Kern.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Super Bowl-bound Eagles are built around QB Jalen Hurts