Sudfeld still the one as a Birds backup quarterback

Nate Sudfeld has the lead right now at backup quarterback for the Eagles.

That according to head coach Doug Pederson, who during a half-hour teleconference said the veteran of two Eagles seasons was ahead of Jalen Hurts, the second-round pick out of Oklahoma.

“Football teams are going to have to rely on their veteran players and Nate is one of those guys,” Pederson said on a teleconference Tuesday. “He knows exactly what we’re doing and I have a ton of confidence in Nate to become the backup quarterback. Nothing is ever handed to anybody. I always try to create competition. But I fully expect Nate to come in and be aggressive and do the things he’s capable of doing and become the backup to Carson (Wentz).”

When and if the Eagles return to the Nova Care Complex to practice this summer, the uncertainty due, of course, to the unpredictable coronavirus pandemic, it will be interesting to see how Sudfeld fits into the Eagles’ plans.

Moments after shocking draft observers by taking Hurts off the board, the Eagles insisted they will have a role this season for the young quarterback, who is comfortable running the same sort of run-pass option plays that made Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles so dangerous.

Literalists insist it won’t be a Taysom Hill role because the skills sets of Hurts and the New Orleans Saints wildcat quarterback and special teams player are so different.

Obviously, the Eagles will tailor a role to the strengths of Hurts, essentially to get him acclimated in the event Wentz gets hurt. Freak injuries or not, Wentz has been unable to finish the last three Eagles seasons. A mobile quarterback like Hurts, who does some of his best work outside the pocket, makes a lot of sense.

“Jalen right now is just learning and picking up our system,”

Pederson said. “There’s a lot to learn at the quarterback position. Are we going to take it a little bit slower maybe with him until he grasps the offense? You might have to. What I like about it is always the unknown. And the unknown is how well a guy can progress. Once we get him on the grass, put him through the drills, put him through practices, then we see exactly what these guys are all about.

“But right now Jalen is doing an outstanding job of picking up the offense and spitting it back to Press (Taylor), and understanding what we’re trying to get done. We’re going that route with him right now at this time.”

In 2009, Pederson was an assistant coach when the Eagles created a role for Michael Vick, who joined the team after completing his prison sentence for dogfighting. That didn’t go great, although in all fairness Vick was 29, and hadn’t played football for two years.

Vick took over the Eagles’ starting job the next season and had his best season as a passer.