Eagles Should Draft a QB to Pressure Hurts

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler dropped an interesting nugget this week: the Philadelphia Eagles could be looking to draft a quarterback on day two of the 2026 NFL Draft. And before the Jalen Hurts truthers start losing their minds — relax. This isn't about replacing Hurts. This is about making the entire organization better. This is the quarterback factory mentality that Howie Roseman has preached since 2020, and it's exactly the right move.

The Quarterback Factory Isn't Just a Slogan

Remember when everyone laughed at the 'quarterback factory' line? Howie Roseman said it with a straight face and half the football world rolled their eyes. But look at the results. Jalen Hurts was a second-round pick who became a franchise quarterback. Gardner Minshew was a solid backup who had trade value. The Eagles have consistently understood that the most important position in sports requires depth and competition.

Right now, the Eagles' backup quarterback situation is thin. That's not acceptable for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. One Hurts injury — one awkward hit, one bad landing — and the season is over. That's not a plan. That's a prayer. And prayers don't hold up in the NFC East.

Competition Makes Everyone Better

Here's the part that nobody wants to talk about: Jalen Hurts plays better when he's pushed. Every great quarterback does. Tom Brady had Jimmy Garoppolo breathing down his neck in New England and responded with some of his best football. Aaron Rodgers had Jordan Love drafted behind him and went on a back-to-back MVP run. Competition doesn't threaten great players — it elevates them.

Hurts had moments in 2025 where the decision-making got sloppy. Holding the ball too long, missing open receivers, forcing throws into tight windows when the checkdown was there. A young quarterback in the room — someone with talent, someone who could theoretically start — keeps Hurts honest. It keeps the preparation sharp. It keeps complacency from creeping in.

Day Two Is the Sweet Spot

The Eagles aren't going to burn a first-round pick on a quarterback — nor should they. They have too many other needs and Hurts is their guy for the foreseeable future. But a second or third-round pick? That's the sweet spot. That's where you find the Dak Prescotts, the Russell Wilsons, the Hurts himself. Day-two quarterbacks have enough talent to develop into starters but come at a cost that doesn't mortgage your future.

This year's draft class has some intriguing options in that range. Quarterbacks who can sit for a year, learn the system under Kellen Moore's new West Coast scheme, and be ready if their number is ever called. That's not a threat to Hurts — that's organizational intelligence.

The Bigger Picture

Hurts' contract is massive. The Eagles have invested heavily in him as the franchise quarterback, and that investment should come with accountability. Drafting a quarterback isn't a vote of no confidence — it's a vote of confidence in the process. It says: we believe in building this thing the right way, with depth at every position, including the most important one.

If Hurts is the guy everyone believes he is, a day-two quarterback sitting behind him changes nothing except the Eagles' insurance policy. And if Hurts struggles? Well, then you've got a young arm ready to develop. Either way, Philadelphia wins. Draft the quarterback. Trust the factory.