Joe Flacco Could Help Nick Sirianni Mold Jalen Hurts into Franchise QB

The Eagles signed Joe Flacco.

Maybe it’s a good move.

Maybe the hometown kid from Audubon N.J. is washed up. This is his third team in three consecutive years, and he did have neck surgery only last April.

Maybe it was a panic move by the Eagles, with the market dwindling for veteran QBs willing to share their knowledge with a second-year quarterback in Jalen Hurts.

Maybe the neck issue was what hindered Flacco during an 0-4 stint with the Jets last year.

Maybe the Eagles paid too much for him, but, really, what does that matter? You pay what the market dictates and Flacco’s market included the San Francisco 49ers. Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch are no dummies. They saw something they liked about Flacco.

The only thing anyone outside the Eagles building knows is that Jalen Hurts’ starting job looks safe. At least until next month when the Eagles could threaten it, depending on where they draft a quarterback – No. 6 overall or deeper into the three-day restocking process.

Even then Hurts' starting job looks secure, despite reports that people inside the Eagles’ building are split in their belief that Hurts can be a franchise quarterback.

General manager Howie Roseman didn’t sound like he was one of those in the anti-franchise QB camp.

“I think when people start talking about Jalen, the first thing that they go to is his athleticism and his strength as a runner,” he said last week. “I don't know that's necessarily fair. This is a guy who completed over 70 percent of his passes at Oklahoma. He's got a feel for the passing game. He's got a plus arm. I think he's going to continue to get better and better.

“When you look at those four games (he started as a rookie), I think I watched Coach (Nick Sirianni) say this, and I think it was the best way to describe it: he's only got four starts. There's huge room for him to continue to improve from a player who had four starts.

“We're excited about the ability that he has and his opportunity to grow and to kind of be with this coaching staff and their ability to get their hands on him and help him become the player that he's got the talent to become.”

Sirianni can work with any quarterback and put them in a position to succeed. He proved that the last three years in Indianapolis when, as the Colts’ offensive coordinator, he had to tailor offenses around three different quarterbacks – Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, and Philip Rivers.

His take was interesting on what constitutes a franchise QB.

“My experience with franchise quarterbacks is they make everybody around them better,” he said. “They make everyone around them better. But what makes them better?

“In some cases, it's a really good defense. In some cases, it's a really good offensive line. In some cases, it's a good running game with a running back. In some cases, it's a good wide receiver and tight end. That looks a lot of different ways. That really can be painted in a lot of different ways.

“Because that can look so many different ways, the best way to surround a quarterback and to make him the most successful is coach our tails off in the meeting room, and then get him the reps on the field that he needs to get that experience to continue to get better.”

Maybe Hurts will be that franchise quarterback.

Flacco was at one time for the Ravens. At 36, he isn’t anymore.

Maybe, though, he can help Sirianni and his staff in making Hurts that guy.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.