Howie Roseman SZN: Quarterbacks

The question is no longer if but when will Jalen Hurts sign a lucrative contract extension with the Eagles.

As Howie Roseman explained at the NFL Scouting Combine last week in Indianapolis, perhaps the only thing better than not paying your quarterback significant money in the NFL is feeling comfortable enough to want to pay a proven commodity at the game's most important position.

“You want me to get sentimental about how it was before we pay our quarterback?” Roseman smiled. “I think it's the nature of the business. I think the better thing is when you have a quarterback that's good enough that you want to pay him and that he has a chance to be a great player.”

Hurts, 24, showed the Eagles in 2022-23 what kind of player he is right now and if 35 combined touchdowns, second in the MVP voting, and outplaying Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVII, all while amassing a 16-2 record as the team's starter is the ceiling, Philadelphia will gladly take it for what’s expected to be a deal that pays anywhere from $48 million to $52 million when it comes to average annual value.

None of that even takes into account the intangibles Hurts brings to the table for the organization, something new Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen noted when discussing his template for the next Colts quarterback – show up to the facility at 6 a.m. and leave at 9:30 p.m. like Hurts.

Hurts' work ethic and leadership skills are rare and there is no reason to assume he can't get even better moving forward, a trajectory that has been consistent year after year from his time in college at Alabama and Oklahoma to his first three seasons in Philadelphia.

“If you don't have a quarterback, you're searching for one, and you can't win in this league without a great quarterback who plays at a high level,” Roseman said. “We saw how Jalen played in the Super Bowl, on the biggest stage, and that's exciting for our team, for our fans, for all of us.”

The backup QB next season is likely going to be a new face after Gardner Minshew faltered over a two-game test in 2022 when Hurts was down with his sprained SC joint in his shoulder.

Minshew, 26, was OK at Dallas but made the kind of big mistakes (with the help of Quez Watkins) that cost you games and then faltered badly against New Orleans, finishing 0-2 as the starter.

Minshew also wants the opportunity to compete to be a starter, something he may find difficult to find on the open market but he should be able to garner a better backup role where the potential of the starter faltering is far greater than Philadelphia.

A late August waiver claim from the Saints last year, Ian Book will get his first opportunity with a full training camp for the first time under Nick Sirianni, Brian Johnson, and Alex Tanney.

Book, 24, was given a strong endorsement by former Notre Dame offensive coordinator and current Alabama OC Tommy Rees, a close friend of Sirianni.

Book, the all-time winningest QB for the Fighting Irish, won’t be guaranteed anything moving forward but he’ll likely compete -- either with a Day 2 or 3 draft pick or a younger trade acquisition like Minshew was -- to be Hurts’ backup.

A veteran backup with starting experience will cost in the $5 million range and that could be too steep for Roseman, who needs all the cap room he can get with so many high-profile free agents.

STAY:

-Hurts is a burgeoning superstar and there's no reason to believe he's going to rest on his laurels even after he crosses over the bridge to big money.

-The undersized Book was a 2021 fourth-round pick and he's got enough movement skills to replicate the Eagles' RPO offense for short periods. He could prove to be just as capable as Minshew but you'd certainly like to see him earn the QB2 job.

GO:

-Minshew was disappointing last season and he still wants an opportunity to compete. There's no guarantee that will be out there for him but the odds of him coming back are negligible.

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen