PHILADELPHIA – There isn’t much to see physically regarding Jalen Hurts’ improvement this offseason.
After all, the Eagles are holding just six spring practices, with no 11-on-11 periods, making it seem more like a 7-on-7 passing camp with no pass rush. They held their third session of the week on Friday, with three more to come next week.
But Eagles offensive coordinator said Hurts’ improvement is evident just in his demeanor, his command of the offense, and in the players around him.
Steichen also said it’s evident in the work Hurts has put in during the offseason.
“He just has a relentless effort to be great,” Steichen said. “So, every approach he takes, he doesn’t have an offseason. He’s always on it. He’s always thinking about football. We’re always talking football day in and day out and he’s continuing to grow as a player, as a leader, every single day.”
There’s also another factor in Hurts’ growth. This is the first time he’ll have the same play callers for the second straight season going back to Hurts’ days in high school.
For the Eagles, it’s the combination of head coach Nick Sirianni and Steichen, although Steichen admitted that he became the primary play caller last season and will continue in that role this season, albeit collaborating with Sirianni.
“Obviously going into year two in the system, the communication has been great with him in meetings,” Steichen said. “We’re not starting from scratch anymore.”
The on-field improvement will be noticeable in time, too.
For one, Hurts has better receivers to throw to. That includes wide receiver A.J. Brown, whom the Eagles traded for on April 28. The Eagles sent the Tennessee Titans their first-round pick, at No. 18 overall, and a third-round pick, to get Brown, who had at least 1,000 yards receiving in his first two seasons before dropping to 869 yards last season while missing four games due to injury.
Brown also happens to be one of Hurts’ best friends. They worked out together this spring before the trade was made.
Brown’s arrival will also help DeVonta Smith, the Eagles’ first-round pick in 2021, who set a team rookie receiving record with 916 yards.
“Anytime you can add really good talent on your team, it’s going to help everyone around you,” Steichen said. “You have A.J. Brown, you have DeVonta Smith, you have two elite receivers on the outside that defenses have to prepare for, so it’s going to help.”
Of course, the Eagles also have tight end Dallas Goedert, who had 830 yards receiving last season, with most of those coming after the Eagles traded Zach Ertz midway through the season.
“I think with anything, you go into game plans and you have three really good players that you have to get the ball to,” Steichen said. “Every game is going to be different. I always say this, there’s one football, and you have three really good players along with other additions that we have.
“So we’re working through that every single day, and that’ll take place through training camp and going into the season.”
Hurts will need to show that improvement. That will include improving his completion percentage, which was at 61.3% last season. It will also include better decision-making, and checking down more often.
That’s because the Eagles want to go back to a passing-centric offense after switching to a run-based offense midway through the season. Hurts, of course, led all NFL quarterbacks and the Eagles with 784 yards rushing.
But good teams, such as the Buccaneers in the playoffs last season, were able to slow down the running game, forcing Hurts to pass.
Other teams, no doubt, will try the same thing this season. It’ll be up to Hurts to show that he can beat those defenses. The Eagles did their part by improving the players around him. And Hurts certainly worked hard in the offseason to take that next step.
Soon, it will become evident as to whether or not he did.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
