Jalen Hurts sustained a concussion last week, and it does not look like he will be ready to return Sunday. Nick Sirianni said Friday (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane) that Hurts looks unlikely to play in Week 17.
This will lead to Kenny Pickett making his first start since midway through last season. Benched and then traded by the Steelers, Pickett replaced Hurts in Week 16 — a shootout loss that ended the Eagles’ lengthy win streak — and picked up a rib injury in the process. This led to the Eagles adding a reinforcement (Ian Book) at QB, but Pickett logged a full practice Thursday and would be good to replace Hurts if/when that time comes this week.
As Hurts did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, Pickett moved from limited to full participation over the past two days. The Eagles appear set to avoid a scenario in which they would need to go to third-stringer Tanner McKee, but the Hurts-to-Pickett drop-off keyed the team’s loss to the Commanders. That defeat dropped the Eagles to 12-3, in a year in which three defeats might not be good enough to land the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The winner of Week 18’s Vikings-Lions rematch may well obtain that coveted perch, but the Eagles have a bigger concern in the short term.
As Hurts closes out his fourth season as Philly’s starter, he has done well to rebound from an inconsistent 2023 campaign — one marred by a leg injury that the QB played through. Hurts has been available throughout this season, accounting for 29 touchdowns (11 rushing) and just five interceptions. This came after the one-time 2022 MVP frontrunner — before a late-season shoulder injury — threw 15 INTs last season. Hurts left Sunday’s game in the first half, and the Eagles blew a 14-point lead.
More to come.