Football <\/p>\n
The latest position of focus in ESPN\u2019s annual NFL survey of league executives, coaches, and scouts is the most important one in football: quarterback<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n You will not find Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts ranked in the top 10, however:<\/p>\n One year after placing ninth in this activity, Hurts has dropped down to being the very last name in the \u201chonorable mention\u201d category (which puts 16 total quarterbacks ahead of him \u2026 coincidentally, Pro Football Focus recently ranked Hurts similarly as QB15<\/a>).<\/p>\n Funny enough, the provided blurb for Hurts is more positive than critical:<\/p>\n \u201cI know it has been up-and-down, but I\u2019m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles and the toughness.\u201d — AFC offensive coach<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Quarterback discussion tends to be pretty polarizing and Hurts is no exception to this dynamic. If anything, he might be the most polarizing player at his position. His biggest supporters can point to his Super Bowl success, his second-most wins in the NFL since 2022, and the kind of characteristics mentioned by this AFC coach. His biggest detractors can point to an Eagles passing offense that\u2019s been uneven for multiple years now, Hurts\u2019 declining rushing production, and personality questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n As a self-described \u201cJalen Hurts centrist\u201d who believes More Than One Thing Can Be True\u2122, I don\u2019t find myself getting bent out of shape about this ranking. I understand those who argue Hurts should be ahead of players who\u2019ve accomplished much<\/em> less than he has. His status as a playoff riser cannot be discounted. But I also think it\u2019s fair to acknowledge that Hurts \u2014 to some extent \u2014 has benefited from more support than some of these other quarterbacks have and that\u2019s a factor to consider.<\/p>\n We can got lost in the weeds of debating rankings, which don\u2019t actually really matter (save for making some discussion in the slowest NFL news cycle of the year). As for what I do find meaningful from this activity? Whether he\u2019s aware of this specific ranking or not, I tend to think Hurts benefits from a general outside perception that he\u2019s being disrespected or underrated. He\u2019s already a highly motivated individual but one gets the sense he relishes in proving his doubters wrong. Remember the \u201cSo that\u2019s what y\u2019all wanted to see, huh?<\/a>\u201d moment from the 2024 season? Of course you do.<\/p>\n With this in mind, there\u2019s reason to be optimistic about Hurts entering 2026. He\u2019s very driven to work against skepticism. He might really benefit from Sean Mannion\u2019s vision for the Eagles\u2019 offense. A strong season will likely result in a new contract extension that puts him in the top 10 quarterbacks by annual value (he\u2019s currently 12th).<\/p>\n If Hurts falters? Well, there\u2019s vindication for the consensus of ESPN\u2019s survey.<\/p>\n\n
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