Eagles land ideal backup quarterback as Jalen Hurts insurance

The Philadelphia Eagles replace Gardner Minshew II with Marcus Mariota as the starting quarterback on Jalen Hurts.

While not the kind of move that really moves the needle, the Philadelphia Eagles did get decent insurance from Jalen Hurts in the form of Marcus Mariota.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Oregon State and #2 draft pick by the Tennessee Titans spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons going 5-8 as a starter. His reunion with former Titans coach Arthur Smith went well for a while, but it reached its expiration date as the weather began to change. He was benched for Desmond Reader and will now only be seen as a backup.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday morning that it would be a one-year deal with the Eagles worth $5 million and up to $8 million in incentives for Mariota to back Hurts over in Philadelphia.

Former Falcons’ Marcus Mariota has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $5 million deal worth up to $8 million per source. Mariota is expected to be the Eagles’ second-place QB this season. pic.twitter.com/pBYEOxiMPk

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2023

While we all love Gardner Minshew II, Mariota is the perfect candidate to support a player like Hurts.

The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Marcus Mariota to back up Jalen Hurts in free agency

From a talent standpoint, Mariota is more than capable of being a starter in the NFL at this point in his career. Yes, the team probably needs to be intimidating, but they can still run and throw a little bit. When it gets a little suspicious with him, he is by nature very impulsive. Factor in his injury-prone nature and he’s a slightly older version of Carson Wentz, though he’s infinitely likable.

Even though he quit my team a year ago, I will accept that this is a good move for the Eagles. It would be fate that he would end up in Philadelphia at some point. Former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly recruited him at Oregon State and had a chance to replace him in the 2015 NFL Draft. He did not and was ousted at the end of the season. Eight years later, Mariota arrives.

In an ideal situation, Mariota is not playing an early game for the 2023 Eagles edition. This will require Hurts to back up his breakout season with another performance at the MVP level. Of course, football is a game of injuries and even the most intelligent players like Hurts will get messed up from time to time. Mariota isn’t a player you can go very far with, but he can win a game or two if his name is called.

Minshew is a cult icon, but to be completely transparent, Mariota is better suited to support Hurts here.

Source link