The Eagles Make Jalen Hurts Highest Paid Player In NFL History

The news we have all been waiting for this off-season is Jalen Hurts signing with the Eagles. We knew it was coming, and we knew it would be for a lot of money. Both of those things came out to be very true. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have finally agreed to a deal, and it is a big one. Per Ian Rapoport, the Eagles and Hurts agreed to a 5-year extension, worth $255 Million, with $179.3 of that guaranteed. Making him the highest-paid player in NFL History.

That is a per-year average of $51 million. $35.8 of which will be guaranteed. How that money will be split up between the 5 years is not yet known. Knowing Howie, there will be dummy years pushing some of that money into the future past those 5 seasons.

Though as we know, every time one player becomes the highest paid anything, it is not long until someone tops it. Being the first team to pay their QB is likely a good thing for the Eagles, even if it seems like a lot of money now. Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert are also up for an extension, and they could each easily top this figure. We have also seen what happens if you put the deal off like the Ravens did with Lamar Jackson.

Jalen Hurts played like an MVP last season. He may have even won it had he not gotten hurt late in the season. You could argue he outplayed Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, even though the Eagles lost. And now the Eagles will have him around, leading their team, for a long time. It will just cost them a lot to keep him here. No matter what cap tricks Howie pulls out, there is no hiding that much money. With how he played last season though, and how beloved he is by his teammates, it is worth it.

Could Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs hear his name called by the Eagles on draft night? 

Most of the talk when it comes to mocking a running back to the Eagles has centered on Bijan Robinson. And for pretty good reason. Robinson is one of the best running backs coming out of college in a few years. We already talked about how good he could be in our prior draft profile of him. But there are some who think Jahymr Gibbs could not only be the better fit in Philly, but the better RB overall.  

The Eagles lost Miles Sanders. While they did bring in Rashaad Penny, still have Kenny Gainwell, and resigned Boston Scott, none of those 3 have shown yet they can be the every down back. Penny is too injury prone to rely on him. And Scott and Gainwell have only ever been part of a rotation. So the Eagles could very well still be looking to add another RB. That could come via the draft. If Bijan is too costly for their tastes, Gibbs could be the next best thing.

So what has people saying Gibbs is the better option for the Eagles? Would they be able to get him without spending the 10th overall pick like they may have to for Bijan? And what does Gibbs actually do better than Robinson? Let’s get to know the potential Eagles draft pick a little better. 

The first thing that jumps off the page about Gibbs is his speed. He had the 2nd fastest 40 time among RBs at the combine (4.36). That is the 7th fastest time by an RB in Combine history. But don’t mistake him for the type of guy whose speed only shows up in workouts. Because his game speed is freaky fast too. 

He topped out at speeds of 22.3 miles per hour in games this year. And even more impressive, it took him just 5.5 seconds to reach that top speed. To put that in perspective, the top speed reached by any ball carrier last season in the NFL was Parris Campbell who hit 22.1 MPH, per Next Gen Stats. The only other player to top 22mph was Kenneth Walker. Speed isn't something you need to worry about translating. If you are fast in college, you will be fast in the NFL. That doesn't mean you will be good. But you will be at the very least fast. And Gibbs brings elite speed to the table. 

The biggest downside with Bijan Robinson has nothing to do with his ability, but what it will cost to get him. They would either have to spend the 10th overall pick on him, or perhaps trade back a little bit and take him in the teens. But not many people think he will be there at 30 when they make their 2nd pick of the first round. And he certainly won’t be there in the 2nd round. 

Gibbs however, might be. He is going in the first round of just 35.9% of mock drafts. Compared to Bijan who goes in the first round in 93.7% of mock drafts. 

If the Eagles want Bijan, they are going to have to pass on players like Jalen Carter, Lukas Van Ness, Myles Murphy, Peter Skoronski, and Devon Witherspoon who could all potentially be there at 10. The talent pool will not be as great at pick 30 or early in the 2nd round if they do trade back. RBs long-term value is limited. They tend to decline faster. But you can more easily justify that risk if you are spending a late first or a second-round pick on a guy. The same would obviously be true for Bijan too. It is just unlikely he will be available at those picks. 

Being fast does not always mean you will be good though. Devon Allen is an NCAA Champion Track and Field Star. He is faster than almost anyone on an NFL roster, and he never saw the field last season. The good thing with Gibbs though, is his speed did not go to waste. While he is not putting up the insane numbers Bijan Robinson does, his production in the SEC is still incredibly impressive. 

His 926 rushing yards put him 7th in the SEC, and his 6.1 yards per carry put him 5th. Add in 7 rushing TDs to go with that, and it all makes for a pretty productive season, despite playing for Bama who threw it more than all but 3 teams in the SEC. That speed led to a lot of explosiveness in his game. He had 26 runs of at least 10 yards. Meaning over 17% of the time, he is breaking a run for at least a first down. Plus he was doing all this in the SEC, a conference known for generating great defensive talent. 

Good vision and great speed led to him hitting holes at an elite level. And behind the Eagles' O-Line, there are going to be holes for him to hit.  

One knock on Gibbs could be his size. At just 5’9” and 199 lbs, he is small even for a RB. The average NFL back is about 2 inches taller and 15 lbs heavier. Now you could look at it as he is so fast it will be hard for guys to hit him. If you are going to be undersized, RB might be the position you can most get away with it. But he could end up having an issue with a more physical style of run.  

The good news here is that he would be part of an RB rotation, not the every down back. If he was asked to get 20+ touches a game, his size could be a bigger issue. That workload would weigh heavier on his light frame. But even Sanders only had 3 games where he touched the ball more than 20 times. The Eagles are still high on Gainwell and Penny and would like to keep them involved too. Provided Penny stays healthy. Even if Gibbs is undersized he may be able to get away with it by being exposed to fewer hits throughout the season.  

The part of Gibbs' game that has scouts most excited is what he can do in the passing game though. His 444 receiving yards are good for the most by any RB in the SEC, and the 4th most by a RB overall. He had 470 the year before at Georgia Tech, and 303 as a freshman.  

It is a part of the game the Eagles lacked with Miles Sanders. After a great rookie year catching the ball, Sanders oddly fell off in the passing game and never quite made an impact there again. But Gibbs would absolutely bring that for the Eagles. They already have two Elite WRs to throw to, and an elite TE. Giving Jalen Hurts a 4th reliable option, could really take the already dangerous Eagles passing game to another level.  

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