Fans Shouldn’t Panic About Jalen Hurts Minicamp Performance

Learning a new offense takes time, which was the theme of Philadelphia Eagles minicamp this spring.

Rome certainly wasn't built in a day, and neither was this offense. Through the two-day minicamp, the defense clearly overwhelmed the offense -- which is typical in the spring.

Two conclusions can be made. The Eagles defense is going to be really, really good and the offense is still a work in progress.

This is to be expected when it comes to making radical changes, but will it work? Here's where Jalen Hurts enters the picture.

Hurts wasn't exactly sharp in the two-day mandatory minicamp, even though he was better than the otehr three quarterbacks on the roster. Being sharp in the spring isn't the endgame, but it's something to monitor given how Hurts has performed from season to season.

The Eagles have run a risk-averse offense in recent years. Whether that was the idea of Kellen Moore, Kevin Patullo, or Jalen Hurts over the last two years is up for debate, but Hurts seems to be embracing the changes under Mannion this spring.

“I’m always open to growth,” Hurts said “I’m always open to improvement. A lot of it is, where do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping?

“The comfort comes with the teaching and the time on task to what you’re doing. So, you just want to continue to build in those areas. I think it’s been the same every year when it comes to coaching points, intention, vision – what are we really trying to drive what we’re doing, in what we’re doing?

“And so, just really having a listening ear, asking questions, getting answers. Going out there and repping it, feeling it, seeing different looks, seeing different coverages. Knowing what to adjust to, what to feel. So, obviously, a different voice [with Mannion]. A different perspective of the game.”

How Hurts fared in minicamp

Hurts had some hits-and-misses in this minicamp, which is typical when learning a new offense. The connections with Dontayvion Wicks improved with the more repetitions they had, much better than the connection they had at the start of the two-day session.

Tariq Woolen had an interception off Hurts in the second day of minicamp, but Woolen has dominated this spring. The deep-ball connections weren't there for Hurts either, even if Hollywood Brown was showing he can become a good deep-ball wideout in this offense.

There were no touchdown passes thrown by Hurts, but this is sheels and shorts after all. Again, it shoudln't be surprising the defense is ahead of the offense -- especially one ran by Vic Fangio versus a first-time offensive coordinator.

Hurts wasn't great, yet he wasn't horrible. The Eagles quarterback is learning on the job.

Why there's little cause for concern

Should we start with the Eagles are in shells and shorts? Or that it's June?

The Eagles are installing a new offense and there are going to be some bumps in the road. This time in the spring is about developing and learning how to go through the progressions in the offense.

To make matters even more difficult, the Eagles have four new wide receivers and two new tight ends. DeVonta Smith was absent on the second day of minicamp for personal reasons and Makai Lemon was out with a hamstring injury, so that's two of the top three wideouts.

Wicks was the WR1 and Brown was the WR2, with Elijah Moore mixed in. Neither wideout was part of the Eagles offense last year. Hurts is developing chemistry with his new wideouts while having Smith and Lemon out.

And Hurts is going up against a secondary with Quinyon Mitchell, Tariq Woolen, and Cooper DeJean at cornerback. That's a tough task for any quarterback, especially without two of his top three receivers.

Lemon not being available for minicamp is already a deterrent to Hurts, as the Eagles are counting on the rookie to contribute in this offense this year. He's behind the 8-ball, and so is his chemistry with Hurts.

Hurts will be working with new receivers all summer, with a new offense on top of it. An up-and-down minicamp for Hurts shouldn't be a surprise in the least.

Hurts will be fine as he progresses in the offense. The question will be if his receivers after DeVonta Smith are good enough for it to matter.

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