How Eagles, Jalen Hurts paved way for Russell Wilson's benching. Is Kyler Murray next?
PHILADELPHIA − There is a price to pay, not only in salary, but in pretty much everything else when a quarterback gets a mega-contract.
The Denver Broncos made that painfully clear this week when they benched Russell Wilson for the final two games. They reportedly plan to release him next March. Wilson ranks fifth in the NFL with an average annual value of $49 million per season on a five-year contract worth as much as $245 million.
That's almost one-fourth of the Broncos' salary cap sitting on the bench. And the Broncos will take a massive dead money hit on their salary cap, close to $50 million, if and when Wilson is released.
But Wilson is hardly alone when it comes to QBs not living up to their mega deals. Of the top seven quarterbacks in average annual value, four others have missed a large chunk of the season because of injuries in Cincinnati's Joe Burrow ($55 million AAV), the Chargers' Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Arizona's Kyler Murray ($46.1 million) and Cleveland's Deshaun Watson ($46 million).
STAFF PICKS: Eagles vs. Cardinals predictions against the spread: Does Jonathan Gannon get revenge?
GANNON'S EFFECT: Super Bowl tampering, ripping Sirianni? That's not why Jonathan Gannon made Eagles' D worse
Only one of the seven is a top MVP candidate this season in Baltimore's Lamar Jackson ($52 million), although the Eagles' Jalen Hurts ($51 million) is in the running.
As two of the top seven QBs face each other in Hurts and Murray when the Eagles face the Cardinals on Sunday, it's certainly worth wondering whether Wilson won't be the only highly-paid quarterback moving on after the season.
A quick aside: the Browns would probably love to get out of Watson's contract after University of Delaware's Joe Flacco, who's nearing his 39th birthday, led the Browns to a playoff berth Thursday night. Flacco is 4-1 since taking over. But Watson's five-year, $230 million contract is fully guaranteed.
Still, the Broncos and potentially others could end up following the Eagles' blueprint after they traded Carson Wentz in the spring of 2021.
The Eagles ate a record $34 million in dead money on the salary cap in trading Wentz to Indianapolis for a first- and third-round pick.
But look at where the Eagles are since. They built around Hurts, both in the draft and free agency, and haven't missed the playoffs. In fact, they made the Super Bowl last season, and are contenders to go back this season with an 11-4 record, tied for the top mark in the NFC.
The Cardinals could be facing a similar decision with Murray.
He'll playing in his seventh game since returning from a torn ACL suffered late last season. While Murray has played decently since returning, the Cardinals are 3-12, in line for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
The Cardinals also have a new head coach in former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and general manager in Monti Ossenfort. It would certainly make sense if the Cardinals decided to trade Murray, take a quarterback at No. 2, whether it's Southern California's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye.
Sure, the Cardinals would take a huge dead money salary cap hit of $46.2 million for trading Murray, according to overthecap.com. But they would also have a potential franchise quarterback on a rookie contract for up to five years, with plenty of salary cap space after the 2024 season to build around him.
That's in addition to extra draft picks in return for trading Murray, and those they have already received from previous deals. Arizona currently has two first-round picks and six in the top 81.
Or they could keep Murray and fortify other positions.
After all, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni described Murray much the same way Hurts describes himself, as a triple threat: "He can make plays with his arm and his mind and his feet," Sirianni said about Murray on Friday.
That triple-threat ability is why the Eagles, clearly, are not thinking about moving on from Hurts. They are 29-5 in the regular season in games Hurts has started since the midway point of the 2021 season. Hurts has 3,636 yards passing, on pace to set the Eagles record for passing yards in a season (Wentz had 4,039 yards in 2019).
Hurts also needs one more touchdown to break the single-season franchise record of 35 that he currently shares with Randall Cunningham.
Sure, this season has been more difficult for Hurts. His passer rating of 89.6 is down from his career high last season of 101.5. And he has thrown 13 interceptions this season, more than twice as many as the 6 he threw in 2022. Hurts’ completion percentage of 65.5% is close to his career-high 66.5% from last season.
GO COWBOYS?!? Blasphemy! Why Eagles should (gulp) root for hated Cowboys to beat Lions after 49ers' gift
And perhaps that difficulty is showing in Hurts’ demeanor, and that of his teammates, as it appears as if the Eagles aren't enjoying their victories as much.
Hurts denies that, and really, the fact that he was praised for his stoicism in leading the Eagles back from several deficits in their 10-1 start is the same way he handles everything.
"Everyone has their own preconceived notion on something," Hurts said. "I know I personally been looked at like that for a long time because there’s value in losing. That does something to you. As a competitor, it drives you and pushes you forward.
"You don’t want to feel those feelings you felt when you came up short in situations. Every competitor is different. Every competitor handles and channels different emotions in different ways."
It works for Hurts and the Eagles. But it's also clear that expectations change after a quarterback signs a mega contract. And teams are no longer afraid to move on quickly if it doesn't work. The Eagles set that precedent with Wentz, and the Broncos are about to follow it, and maybe the Cardinals, too, with Murray.
Will the Eagles be happy if they beat Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals?
AJ Brown still hasn't talked to the media since Monday's game, when he brushed off interviews after the Eagles beat the Giants, saying, "I've got nothing nice to say."
DeVonta Smith said he wasn't happy after the game, but he did elaborate on that this week. Smith said the never-satisfied attitude comes from Alabama, where Smith and the Crimson Tide rarely ever lost. Hurts was a part of those teams, too.
"That’s just how I am," Smith said. "We’re not going to always get by, doing the things that we’re doing. Yeah, we’re 11-4, but been barely getting by. That don’t last forever."
Brown (1,394 yards receiving) and Smith (1,036 yards) should have a field day against the Cardinals' defense, ranked 27th in the NFL. So should the running attack as Arizona is last, giving up 147 yards per game.
The fans' "Run the ball!" chants should be in full force if the Eagles don't take advantage. But the Eagles have run the ball, getting 178 yards against Seattle and 170 against the Giants.
As for Gannon, this might be his Super Bowl. But he doesn't have the players to win it, no matter how well Murray plays. And not having speedy wide receiver Marquis Brown, who was placed on injured reserve Friday, won't help either.
The Eagles, meanwhile, should be getting CB Avonte Maddox back after he went on IR after Week 1. In addition, G Landon Dickerson (thumb surgery) and LB Nicholas Morrow (abdomen) have been cleared to play.
Score: Eagles 37, Cardinals 27.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How Eagles paved way for Russell Wilson benching. Is Kyler Murray next?
