Howie Roseman acknowledges Jalen Hurts deserves a ‘tremendous contract’

Eagles GM Howie Roseman took to the podium in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine to talk to reporters on Tuesday afternoon. He wouldn’t get into the specifics of contract negotiations with QB Jalen Hurts, but said they are trying to find a win-win solution because the quarterback deserves it. Roseman also spoke about Jason Kelce’s future with the team, along with Kenny Gainwell and the RB group.

Here’s what the GM had to say:

On Jalen Hurts’ contract

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking about contract situations with anyone. I think you know that. At the same time, tremendous respect for him as a player, as a person. Tremendous respect for the people that work with him to do this, and you go through it in a way that you want to find a win-win solution.

You want to find something that he feels really good about, and at the same time that we feel good about and surround him with good players. He knows that. He’s a smart guy. He understands that. That doesn’t mean that it’s not going to be a tremendous contract for him because he deserves that, too.”

Roseman was asked about the 2023 QB prospects, to which he was very complimentary, but also said that he hopes they all get picked high because the Eagles aren’t in the market for one. The GM went on to say that to be successful in the NFL you need a great quarterback, and seeing what Hurts did at the Super Bowl, on the biggest stage, was exciting for the team and the fans.

“I think the reasons we drafted Jalen [Hurts] are he’s an elite competitor, he is an elite worker, and he has elite talent. I think sometimes we use words like ‘worker’ and ‘competitive nature’ that kind of frame it in a way that the guy is not extremely talented. Jalen is an elite talent.

He has elite arm strength. Anything you tell him to do, you saw his completion percentage, his accuracy jump. At the end of the day, he has a special talent, and you combine that with a special football mind and special work ethic, and it gives him a chance to be a special player.”

On Jason Kelce’s future with the team

Veteran center Jason Kelce takes time at the end of every season the past few years to evaluate things and decide whether or not it’s time for him to retire. His brother, Travis, asked him about it on their post-Super Bowl podcast episode, but Jason admitted he really didn’t know and hadn’t thought about it yet.

Apparently Roseman isn’t in too much of a hurry to hear Jason’s decision, but obviously will work with him on whatever he wants to do.

“I mean, he’s a special player, special person. I think that whatever his timeline is, we’re willing to work with him.”

Roseman also then noted he’s doing Jason and Travis’ New Heights Show podcast on Wednesday so maybe he’ll bring it up.

On Kenny Gainwell and the RB position

“Kenny [Gainwell] is an impressive young player. When you watch him and his skillset, he has really good vision. He has the ability to get small and get skinny and he can catch the ball, he can protect. He’s a good player.

We’ve also seen in this league that you need more than one. It’s hard to roll with just one running back in this league. I think we’re happy with Kenny; we know also that he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. Obviously, he had a good playoff run, but it is a position we are going to continue to add at. We don’t have a lot of guys under contract right now, so we will continue to look at players at that position and a lot of positions.”

Other notables

• Roseman explained that they don’t make offers to every free agent hitting the market, but rather are honest with the guys — for whom he says they have immense respect. For those they think they can bring back on a deal the player deserves, the team will reach out with a range.
• The GM is explained that they are really excited about their 2022 draft class, despite the lack of production. He noted that they drafted the best players available with those first three picks — Jordan Davis, Cam Jurgens, Nakobe Dean — and not because those players were going to fill an immediate need.