The Eagles aren’t the first team in the NFL to expend a high draft pick on a quarterback when they already had an established starter, nor are they the first to envision using him in an unconventional role on offense. But their selection of Jalen Hurts on Friday night stands alone in its peculiar timing.
Call it bold or bird-brained, no team in recent league history has drafted a quarterback in the second round or higher so soon after signing its starter to his first franchise contract extension.
There have been prospects chosen when the starter was far into his career, or had shown significant regression, or was near the end of his contract, or in one renowned case, had yet to play out his rookie deal.