Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was back at practice on Thursday and worked ahead of Gardner Minshew in some light drills. His participation was limited, but that hasn’t stopped Eagles fans from speculating on Hurts’ status.
A win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday would lock up the NFC East and a much-needed first-round bye. If Hurts is healthy, he should play. But he’s not. That’s why he should be the backup this week.
Minshew’s 355 yards and two touchdowns should have been enough to beat the Dallas Cowboys last week. If not for costly turnovers and poor defense, Philadelphia would already be resting its starters against New Orleans.
Another week of rest won’t hurt Hurts. With key injuries to Lane Johnson and Avonte Maddox piling up, there’s no reason to put Hurts in harm’s way.
It makes more sense to give Minshew the start. If Minshew plays poorly and the score is close, by all means put in Hurts. If he can throw a ball, there’s no reason he shouldn’t play ahead of Ian Book.
Be patient, Philadelphia. Hurts might have looked good throwing short passes to assistant coaches on Thursday, but staring down Cam Jordan with a sprained shoulder is another story. Let Minshew earn another start by beating New Orleans and give Hurts some practice reps.
