In Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles Are Trusting an Untested Seatbelt

The Philadelphia Eagles' selection of Jalen Hurts in the second round raised eyebrows. It also revealed how the franchise feels about Carson Wentz, who has had trouble staying on the field when it matters most. Fair or otherwise, that's the reality. They'll now go into a win-now season with Hurts as a backup plan.

The fellas at Speak For Yourself discussed the addition yesterday and Marcellus Wiley made the salient point that it's not Wentz's ability that's in question, it's his reliability. And while it sucks that an objectively dirty hit from Jadeveon Clowney is being held against quarterback, it would be irresponsible of the Eagles to ignore the trend.

Wiley also likened Hurts to a seatbelt because riding with Wentz can get a bit bumpy. And it's a fine strategy, in theory. But one has to wonder if using a rookie as a backup plan is the most prudent course of action. Look, we all understand that backups capable of winning in the playoffs don't grow on trees. No one understands it more than Philadelphia, which rode one to the Super Bowl.

Hurts is uniquely qualified because he handled a high-profile QB controversy at Alabama, then made an immediate impact in the new setting of Norman, Oklahoma.

That said, it's tough to have confidence he'd be able to step into a pressure cooker and deliver. This year or next. So if Hurts is the only thing between the Eagles and another injury-derailed season, that shouldn't give anyone confidence. The dynamic playmaker can help in other ways with Wentz healthy. He can become the WaWa version of Taysom Hill. It won't be a wasted pick.

Usually safety belts are tested, though, to prove they can handle the impact of a crash. This one's apparently being trusted without much quality control.