Eagles Leaders say They will Support Jalen Hurts as Much as Carson Wentz

The rookie QB needs all the support he can get, too, with the NFL's top-ranked defense waiting to greet him in his first NFL start

PHILADELPHIA - Five to 10 minutes and that’s it, that’s about the extent of what reporters are able to watch of an Eagles practice in these COVID-19 days.

What happens after a pared-down media group restricted to about 10 daily representatives shuffle to the exit only the coaches and players know.

So, questions get asked virtually and, of course, the most popular one this week leading up to Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints is about Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts.

It would only make sense that lines have been drawn between the two quarterbacks, with, presumably, the veterans on Wentz’s side of the line and the younger players on Hurts’ side. 

There may be a few outliers here and there, and that’s OK, as long as both camps come together on Sunday.

Heaven knows, Hurts needs all the support he can get with the first pro start of his career staring him in the face and staring right back is a New Orleans Saints defense that is ranked No. 1 in the league, stingy against both run and pass.

“We know it will be a lot for him,” said Cox. “It’s going to be his first start. The sideline and everybody is going to support him the same way everybody supported Carson or whoever else is in there.

“We supported Josh (McCown) last year in the playoff. Old man going in there and putting his body on the line, so it doesn’t matter who’s in the game. As a teammate, it’s natural to support him.”

Cox said that about Hurts after he got done talking about his support for Wentz.

“He’s probably one of my best friends on the team,” said defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. “I talk to Carson a lot. I talk to him during the good times, during the bad times, and times like this right now. We carry on our conversation just like we do every day.

“It sucks because, at the end of the day, it’s never just one person. Sucks for a guy like Carson to be in the position he’s in right now. Again, though, I still support Carson. He’s my guy.”

Cox is a pro, though, so he, like he said, he is all in on whoever lines up behind center Jason Kelce.

“We win as a team we lose as a team,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there. We’re going to support that guy. There’s not going to be a locker room divide. We don’t make decisions like that. We’re a team, we’re all in that locker room together.”

Same thing with defensive end Brandon Graham.

“We’re going to make sure we stick by Carson,” said Graham, “because we still believe in both quarterbacks. You have Jalen who is going to get an opportunity for himself and it’s a good opportunity for him. Like coach said, he’s going to give us a spark and we’re going to go with whatever is best for the team. It’s all supportive.

“We all talk to each other. I don’t see us being divisive at all. I just think that we have to continue to make sure we have a good support system for both parties, Carson and Jalen.”

Nevertheless, this change from Wentz to Hurts feels like a Hail-Mary pass from head coach Doug Pederson. There is just so much wrong with the Eagles team, particularly on offense, that a completion seems unlikely, and Pederson risks losing the locker room, though the team leaders are adamant that won’t happen.

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