Eagles' Hurts embracing more responsibility with Kelce gone

Quarterback Jalen Hurts said he's excited for a larger role on the Philadelphia Eagles offense after feeling like Jason Kelce's presence limited his control at the line of scrimmage.

"I think in the end, when you look at this upcoming season and what you have seen in years past, it's just different autonomy in different places," Hurts told 94WIP Thursday.

"We had a great player in Jason Kelce who took on a lot of responsibility, and as a result of that, I was told not to worry about a lot of things. And so my eagerness to learn over the years kind of was halted because of who we had, but now times are different, and I'm excited for that journey and this opportunity."

Kelce, who retired this offseason after 13 campaigns with the club, was responsible for setting protections and reading blitz pickups for the Eagles. Teams blitzed Hurts on 38.7% of his dropbacks last season, which was the second-most of any quarterback behind Jordan Love, per Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Hurts was also pressured 43.6% of the time when opponents sent five or more rushers at him, completing 62.6% of his passes for eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in those situations. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers blitzed Hurts on 69.2% of his dropbacks in Philadelphia's wild-card loss.

The Eagles offense faltered down the stretch in 2023, scoring 18.8 points per game while compiling a 1-6 record in their last seven contests.

"It's been a role that I've been waiting on," Hurts said, according to Tim McManus of ESPN. "I know we've had a well-respected, Hall of Fame guy who's been doing that, and now we (have) the opportunity to do that. It's something I've been wanting, and I think that's how it's supposed to be.

Hurts is 34-17 as the Eagles' starter, totaling 14,267 yards and 108 touchdowns. Philadelphia kicks off its season on Sept. 6 against the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil.