- 2K Views
- 0 Shares
- Updated
Heavy
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton.
The Philadelphia Eagles have done the smart thing over the last year and deferred to quarterback Jalen Hurts in all cases and in all scenarios.
That means any blame for the offense and how poorly it’s performed has been diverted away from the $255 million former NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP and toward easier targets.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was fired after 1 season in which Hurts appeared, at times, incapable of running the plays he called, although Hurts seemed to have the power to override whatever Patullo called whenever he wanted.
NFL All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown is seemingly already out the door in a presumed trade — probably to the New England Patriots — after too many public complaints about Hurts.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski believes Hurts may have already played his hand — the franchise won’t go to bat like this for him again — and predicts 2026 5th-round pick Cole Payton could eventually become the Eagles’ next starting quarterback.
How Cole Payton Could Take Over Philly’s Offense
Don’t expect changes right away, but if Hurts struggles again in 2026 as he did in 2025, there’s a path for the Eagles to move on.
“As of now, the Eagles aren’t moving past Hurts,” Sobleski wrote. “The organization can’t. A year from now, he can be released or cut post-June 1 and it would make some financial sense. At this point, it’s impossible to deny the continued rumors of offensive discord emanating from that building. Furthermore, Tanner McKee is now in the last year of his rookie contract and could get an opportunity to start elsewhere once he hits free agency. Payton, whose physical profile matches (or betters) what the Eagles already have in Hurts, will develop over the next year or two, with the possibility of taking over the offense if he shows legitimate progress. Philadelphia’s current setup is the ideal opportunity for Payton to supersede his draft status and eventually thrive in the Eagles’ offense.”
Hurts once pulled off his own QB takeover, swiping the job from former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz as a rookie in 2020, and just 1 year after Wentz signed a 4-year, $128 million contract extension.
Cole Payton Already Called ‘Future Franchise QB’
Payton, 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, won a pair of FCS national championships as a backup at North Dakota State, although he was used in short-yardage goal line situations and had 13 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023.
He finally got a chance to be the starter in 2025, leading the Bison to a 12-1 record while putting up 3,496 yards of total offense and 29 touchdowns — 16 passing and 13 rushing.
“Cole Payton put on a show today at his Pro Day!” Former NFL quarterback Jake Heaps wrote on his official X account on March 19. “Cole ripped the ball … he checked all of the boxes today and displayed why he is one of the best QBs in this draft. One team is going to land a future franchise QB.”
Don’t expect Hurts to give up his job without a fight.
In 6 seasons as the starter for the Eagles, Hurts is 57-25 as the starter during the regular season and has never missed the playoffs. He also owns the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season (15), most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a postseason game (3), and most rushing yards by a quarterback in a Super Bowl (72).
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame