First-hand look at answer to QB problem
PHILADELPHIA » It was the show of shows in the offseason. Every team but the Trevor Lawrence-committed Jaguars showed up at Provo, Utah for Zach Wilson’s Pro Day last March.
Wilson killed it. A variety of the off platform throws he made on social media left you shaking your head.
Wilson was barely into his follow-through that day when two trades were made shaping the top of the draft. The 49ers landed the third pick in the draft and the Eagles, who coveted Wilson according to multiple sources, sent the sixth pick to the Dolphins, who previously held the third overall selection.
This Sunday the Eagles oppose Wilson, the potential answer to all their quarterback problems and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Wilson came off the board with the second overall pick, former Eagles football operations chief Joe Douglas, now general manager of the Jets, unable to hide his enthusiasm. Lawrence, the baby-faced Wilson and Trey Lance of the 49ers went 1-2-3. All of them are struggling to get victories or in the case of Lance, get on the field. That was to be expected.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t attend the Wilson workout, but he got an in depth look during joint practices with the Eagles during training camp. Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson were in Provo to enjoy the workout and the famous fry sauce, not in that order.
“We did a lot of work on him, and a lot of study on him,” Sirianni said. “We thought he was a really good player. He did a lot of good things in college. He was able to throw the ball from different arm levels. He was athletic. Yeah, we were fans of him coming out of college at BYU.”
It’s been a tough year for Wilson and the Jets (38). The rookie sustained a PCL sprain that sidelined him for four games and exasperated the lack of time with a young and fairly unproven stable of weapons on offense. Wilson has two of those three victories, including a 21-14 win at Houston last week. Wilson rallied the Jets from a 14-3 deficit, capping the rally with a four-yard scoring run in the third quarter. The Jets were 2-for-13 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down. Wilson had two giveaways, including a shovel pass that was intercepted.
With four TDs, 10 picks and a 62.0 rating, Wilson is last in the league.
Nobody expected Wilson to tear the league apart this year. Patrick Mahomes, for all his skills, needed a couple of years to find his swing. But there is at least a shred of peace for head coach Robert Saleh merely in identifying Wilson as the guy going forward.
Wilson’s arm talent made Lawrence tweet “SHEESH!” after the sensational Pro Day hit social media. Jets head coach Robert Saleh was impressed.
“The workout was awesome,” Saleh said on a conference call. “It was more confirmation than anything based on what we saw on tape, and he did a nice job. He’s been getting better every week. You know the game, obviously for a lot of these rookies, is a lot different. You see it happening with Trevor in Jacksonville. The style of football, the pockets are tighter, you’re playing in a phone booth, have to be able to operate in that phone booth and progress from 1-2-3. Getting rid of the ball in 2½ seconds where in college he had a lot more time to throw the football behind a really good offensive line.
“So, he’s been progressing. He’s definitely got the arm talent. He’s got the mental horsepower; he’s got all the tools we’re looking for. But he’s such a young man. It’s going to take some time. He’s just got to get comfortable. He’s just got to give the game a chance to slow down for him and that’s just going to take time.”
The Eagles thought they had their long-term quarterback in Carson Wentz, now tearing it up in Indy. He’s thrown 21 touchdown passes compared to 13 for Jalen Hurts, who with eight rushing TDs is tied for fifth in the NFL. Wentz demanded a trade and got it. The Eagles kept Hurts, who leads the club in rushing and is on pace for 985 yards. Hurts hasn’t thrown for more than 200 yards in the last five games, with just three TDs and four picks in that block of games. When the Eagles trail in the fourth quarter, they clearly aren’t equipped to throw their way back into a game.
The Eagles won the Super Bowl with backup quarterback Nick Foles, who took over when Wentz was hurt and who also has a share of the single-game NFL record with seven TD passes.
Now the Eagles are trying to make themselves relevant with Hurts, who is everything you’d want from a run-pass-option quarterback operating behind a solid offensive line, including being durable. Hurts has 16 straight NFL starts.
Hurts is what he is. At this point he’s not shown the ability to throw the ball effectively enough to a talented group of receivers even if you benched Jalen Reagor.
The Eagles are in the same position today as they were where heading into Wilson’s Pro Day. There are questions, not answers, about the viability of their QB1 and when, if ever, they can prove winning Super Bowl LII, wasn’t a fluke. All they can do is watch.