We know that Jalen Hurts is prideful, determined and sets high standards for himself.
We also know that Hurts won’t get caught up in the hoopla comparing him to Tua Tagovailoa, the quarterback who took his job at Alabama, when the Eagles and Miami Dolphins conduct joint practice sessions Wednesday and Thursday in Miami before playing in the final preseason game there on Saturday night.
Hurts, at least, didn’t bite the proverbial cheese, as former Eagles coach Chip Kelly liked to say, when asked last week in Cleveland if he’s looking forward to seeing Tagovailoa.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all my buddies,” Hurts told reporters. “It’ll be fun.”
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Of course, there’s a history.
Hurts was a true freshman when he led Alabama to the national championship in 2016. Hurts took the Crimson Tide to the title game the next season as well, but was benched at halftime for Tagovailoa, who was then a freshman. Tagovailoa led Alabama back from a 13-0 halftime deficit to a stirring 26-23 comeback win over Georgia.
The next season, Tagovailoa was the starter and Hurts was the backup. Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma for his senior season in 2019. He threw for 3,851 yards and ran for 1,298 more, and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting while leading the Sooners to the college football playoffs.
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, injured his hip late in the 2019 season and missed the final two games.
Then came the 2020 draft. Tagovailoa was picked fifth overall by the Dolphins. Hurts was picked in the second round by the Eagles.
Since then, both have endured their share of successes and failures, to the point where both teams are still deciding if they can become the franchise quarterbacks.
The Dolphins, after all, were reportedly close to trading for Deshaun Watson last season at the trade deadline. And there were rumors after last season that the Eagles were exploring the possibility of trading for Watson, who ultimately went to Cleveland, and Russell Wilson, who ultimately went to Denver.
Both teams then changed course, doubling down with their QBs, while improving the weapons around them.
The Dolphins drafted Jaylen Waddle in the first round last season, trading up with the Eagles to get him at No. 6. The Eagles, meanwhile, drafted his Alabama teammate in DeVonta Smith, at No. 10. Both receivers had strong rookie seasons.
Waddle finished with 104 receptions, the most by a rookie in NFL history, to go along with 1,015 yards. Smith set an Eagles rookie record with 916 yards receiving.
During the offseason, the Dolphins traded for star receiver Tyreek Hill and signed him to a four-year deal worth as much as $120 million, with $72 million guaranteed. The Eagles traded for star receiver A.J. Brown and signed him to a four-year deal worth as much as $100 million, with $57 million guaranteed.
Both teams have top-tier tight ends in the Eagles’ Dallas Goedert and the Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki.
In other words, both teams have loaded up for a playoff run this year, and if it doesn’t work, then it’s on the quarterback.
So this week’s worth of joint practices will be an interesting comparison. It should be noted that those comparisons won’t take place in the actual game, at least on the Eagles’ end, because the starters will most likely be put in bubble wrap like they were last week after joint practices with the Browns.
Each quarterback has been criticized by fans and pundits for lacking arm strength and not great decision-making. Hurts, for example, completed only 61.3% of his passes last season, which ranked 26th among NFL quarterbacks. Tagovailoa was better in that regard, completing 67.8% of his passes, which ranked 7th. But Tagovailoa ranked 23rd with 6.8 yards per pass attempt. He averaged just 204 yards passing per game.
Hurts ranked 15th in yards per attempt and averaged 210 yards passing per game.
But there have been encouraging signs this summer with Hurts. The biggest is when he rolls to his left, a major weakness last season, something that was exposed in the playoff loss to the Buccaneers last season.
Last week in practice against the Browns, Hurts rolled to his left and threw a strike to Brown. Hurts did the same thing the week before in training camp, firing a strike to Smith. And in his only preseason action, Hurts completed all 6 of his passes for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Jets.
“We work it all the time,” Brown told reporters last week. “We try to focus on the little details of that route and he tries to do a good job of throwing the ball on time, and I try to do a good job of showing no tells. We’ve been keeping everything strict.”
By all accounts, Tagovailoa is having a strong preseason as well. Tagovailoa went 6-for-8 for 58 yards last weekend against the Raiders in two drives in his only preseason action so far. But the Dolphins only came away with three points.
“I know as an offense, you always want to go down and accomplish every drive ending in a score,” Tagovailoa told reporters after the game. “Obviously, that wasn’t the case within the two drives that we had. We had a field goal, but our job as an offense is to go down and try to put points up on the board.”
That, ultimately, is how each quarterback will be judged this season.
Here are some other matchups to watch:
- Brown and Smith vs. Dolphins CB Xavien Howard: Ideally, this would’ve been a top wide receiver-cornerback matchup if Bryon Jones was healthy. But Jones, the prized free agent cornerback in 2020, is on the PUP list and won’t be practicing this week. The Eagles tried hard to sign Jones, but were outbid by the Dolphins. At that point, the Eagles pivoted and traded for Darius Slay.
- Slay and James Bradberry vs. Hill and Waddle: Bradberry didn’t practice last week because of a groin injury, and it’s possible that he won’t return this week either. But if he does, the Eagles’ defensive backs will face a stiff test with Hill, a speed receiver in his first season with the Dolphins, and Waddle, a strong possession receiver. If Bradberry can’t practice, second-year corner Zech McPhearson and/or nickel Avonte Maddox will try covering Waddle.
- Dolphins LT Terron Armstead vs. Josh Sweat/Derek Barnett: The Dolphins had a porous offensive line last season, so they splurged on the former Saints star, signing him to a five-year deal worth as much as $87.5 million. Tagovailoa’s success could depend as much on his protection as it does on his flashy receivers. For the Eagles, Sweat and Derek Barnett will have a tough test against one of the top tackles in the NFL.
- In other news: The Eagles waived T Jarrid Williams, RB DeAndre Torrey and CB Josh Blackwell, and placed OL Brett Toth and TE Tyree Jackson on reserve/physically unable to perform list to trim the roster to the required 80 players. Toth and Jackson will have to miss at least the first four games. NFL teams will have to cut the roster to 53 by next Tuesday.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
