2844-YD QB Touted as Jalen Hurts Replacement After Nick Sirianni & Eagles’ $51M Zack Baun Decision

Fresh from steamrolling the Chiefs into a Super Bowl victory, the Eagles are on cloud nine. And if anything, Philly faithful know this one thing: that this team enjoys stockpiling quarterbacks like some doomsday prepper building a cache of canned beans. Winning a Super Bowl is not easy—keeping it? That’s even more difficult. Yet the Eagles have always been talented at loading up at quarterback. From Jeff Garcia to Nick Foles, they’ve had their fair share of QB success stories.

Now, it’s Jalen Hurts calling the shots—and he’s thriving. Two Super Bowl appearances in four years? That’s on an elite level. Replacing a guy like him? May as well attempt to bench-press a freight train. Nonetheless, one pundit believes the Eagles may be able to unearth the next great thing in a ‘poor man’s Jalen Hurts’—a 2,844-yard passer soaring under the radar. Didn’t see that coming, did you?

So, who is this gunslinger who racked up 2,844 yards and 16 TDs in the last season? None other than Jalen Milroe. Yep, from the same college Hurts once attended—Alabama. And the parallels don’t stop at the first name. We all recall Hurts’ dynamite run under Nick Saban, particularly when he became the first Bama QB to run for 11 touchdowns in one season. His 75% completion rate in the 2016 Iron Bowl against Auburn? Priceless. But it wasn’t a cakewalk. In 2017, Alabama was behind Georgia in the National Championship. That’s when Tua Tagovailoa came in, basically sealing Hurts’ fate at Bama. He went on to transfer to Oklahoma, and frankly? That move could’ve been the best thing for him.

It was a turning point, for sure. Hurts guided the Sooners to the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinals, and it defined his transition into the NFL. Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon captured it nicely: “I thought he was pretty damn good in that last season at Oklahoma and showed a lot more development as a quarterback.”. I do think he was painted a little bit too much with the brush of what he was early on in his career.

And Harmon thinks Milroe could be made of the same stuff—well, kind of. “We didn’t really get that full development from Jalen Milroe. Now, I do think, again, like a ceiling-floor comparison—ceiling comparison is maybe he could be a poor man’s Jalen Hurts because he’s got the tools.”. The mobility is legitimate. You could build something out of that.” Now Milroe as a Hurts-lite backup? That’s a twist. And if you look at the bigger picture, it makes sense. Milroe can insert himself as a possible backup QB for the Eagles. Sure, he’s still green—but the skillset exists.

Of course, there are issues. Harmon comments, “A floor comparison is, you know, we’re talking about a guy who maybe people want to switch positions with at some point. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s what we’d be talking about with Jalen Milroe.”

Nevertheless, Milroe’s athleticism is difficult to deny. During his Pro Day, he was said to have run an unofficial 40-yard dash of 4.37 seconds—with the official measurement coming in at 4.40. That’s wide receiver-caliber speed from a quarterback. And not only that, but he was productive as well, recording 16 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions last year for Bama.

Now that the Eagles’ QB depth with the current personnel? Yeah, they could totally use a guy like Milroe. Last year, when Hurts got hurt, Kenny Pickett came in—and didn’t exactly give anyone confidence. Philly traded him to Cleveland for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-rounder in 2025. But DTR ain’t no long-term solution, either, and although Tanner McKee flashed during the time that injuries struck, he’s still more ‘maybe’ than ‘must-have.’

So what’s the play? Maye be answer 2025 NFL. “I could see someone on Day 2, round 3 would be much more acceptable than round 2.” That’s the word right now. To date, Milroe isn’t appearing as a Day 1 pick in any mock drafts. But Harmon makes the point, “I can’t really think of a team off the top of my head, but we want to maybe develop this guy.”. We’re a quarterback factory—obviously, that’s what the Eagles branded themselves as.

With the Super Bowl champions having the 32nd overall pick, they’re in a pretty good place. If Milroe falls like he should, they might get him in the later rounds. And if he shoots up earlier than expected? A trade-up is definitely a possibility. A “mini-Hurts” in reserve? That may be the best insurance policy Philly can purchase. Also, following the Eagles substantial $51 million investment, this seems like a far superior choice.

Philadelphia Eagles’ $51 million signing

Zack Baun gambled on himself by inking a one-year contract with Nick Sirianni and Co. and it paid off big. After a Super Bowl win and an All-Pro year, the Eagles rewarded him with a three-year, $51 million deal, the fourth largest contract among linebackers in the league. “I was feeling like near the end of the season, I was playing with so much confidence that I knew I was going to make a play,” Baun said. “I just couldn’t explain to you what it was going to be or when or where, but I’m glad to build off of that confidence and continue to get myself in this scheme.”

Baun, who thrived in Vic Fangio’s scheme, is thrilled to remain in Philadelphia, smoothly integrating into the team. Recording a staggering stat line of 151 tackles, five forced fumbles, and an interception, he emerged as a pillar of the NFL’s number-one-ranked defense. “What we established here, the culture here, and honestly, now that I’m considering this, I was just a part of the puzzle that was placed into a tremendous culture already set up,” he explained.

Just a year ago, Baun was looking for a fresh start, but now he has found a true home in Philly. “We absolutely love it here,” he said. “It’s nice to be here in one place. My wife does a fantastic job of coordinating things for me and my family. I’m just so thankful for where football has taken my life.”

The Eagles have turned into a proving ground for players wanting to make a name for themselves, and Baun is a prime example. His dramatic turnaround even got GM Howie Roseman to break his own rule by heavily investing in an off-ball linebacker. “I feel like this team and this place is very good for that and guys that want to sign that one-year, prove-it deal and do what they can,” Baun said. Now, with such a large investment, signing Jalen Milroe as a backup QB might be a good choice for the Eagles.