Time changes everything, and as the 2023 NFL season fast approaches, there’s a new hierarchy in the NFC at the quarterback position.
Tom Brady has retired, Aaron Rodgers is on his way to the AFC, and Jalen Hurts will shortly reset the quarterback pay scale after an All-Pro season and MVP runner-up.
The first wave of NFL free agency is complete, and Philadelphia will look entirely different on defense after losing seven key contributors.
Things will be fine, though, as the Eagles’ offense remains intact, and the quarterback continues to improve.
In the ranking from PFF, Hurts landed at No.1 on the list for NFC quarterbacks, and he’s the only signal caller lumped in with the talented AFC group of passers.
AS ELITE AS THE AFC
Jalen Hurts
We can debate how much of last season’s success was down to Hurts’ development with another year in the NFL or the improvement in his supporting cast — the A.J. Brown addition and the best offensive line in football (among others) — but he was getting MVP buzz for much of the year, something that seems unlikely for almost any other NFC player. Hurts has been a dynamic rushing threat for the Philadelphia Eagles, and his development as a passer has been significant. His PFF passing grade has gone from 57.5 in Year 1 to 69.2 in Year 2 and finally 83.8 in Year 3 on his way to a Super Bowl. If the Eagles maintain a competitive team around him, there’s no reason to think Hurts can’t back up his 2022 performance, and he may not be done improving.
Hurts finished ahead of Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Kirk Cousins (Vikings) and
Dak Prescott (Cowboys).
There’s a new big man on campus in the NFC, and he’ll be atop the rankings for years to come.
