Media by Associated Press – FILE – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts passes during the first half of the NFC Championship NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Chiefs and Eagles are bringing MVP finalists Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts to the Super Bowl to cap a season in which the NFL had a glaring amount of instability at quarterback. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Star power in the NFL can be fleeting. The nature of the sport- with the injuries and risks involved- presents many challenges for players to stay at the top of their game. Here’s a look at a few players that may find next year a little more complicated than this season.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles, QB
Hurts is on top of the world now. He finished this year with a career-high 3,701 passing yards and has thrown for 22 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. What may end up costing Hurts is the amount of running he does.
Hurts also had a career-high 165 carries for 760 yards this season. While Hurts, who finished with 13 rushing touchdowns, gets a lot of carries on quarterback sneaks, he is also not afraid to scramble to extend a play. The punishment Hurts takes will eventually keep up with him.
Hurts is likely to see some of that running, especially after he was injured this season; keep up with him next year.
Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys, RB
Pollard is only 25 but has a significant amount of mileage on his tires already. The Dallas running back has carried the ball 510 times since he came into the league in 2019. Pollard was able to record a career-best performance this season.
Pollard rushed for 1,007 yards, cracking the 1000-yard plateau for the first time. He also rushed for nine touchdowns and caught 39 passes for three touchdowns. After another early playoff exit, Dallas may be ready to make changes on offense.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks, QB
Smith was recently named NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and deservedly so. Smith passed for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also took a surprising Seahawks team to the playoffs in a year where many thought they would buckle without Russell Wilson.
However, Seattle does still have some flaws that will be difficult for the 32-year-old veteran quarterback to make up for. The Seahawks will also likely be keeping an eye out for their quarterback of the future. Seattle did bring in Drew Lock, another veteran quarterback with a spotty history, to compete with Smith for the job last season.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers, QB
Purdy, who was the last overall pick, in last season’s draft, had a dream first season in the NFL. Purdy passed for 1,374 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions as he helped lead the 49ers to the NFC West championship. However, Purdy’s success this season is unlikely to make him the front-runner to be San Francisco’s quarterback this season.
The 49ers are eager to see what they have as former first-round pick Trey Lance. Purdyd, who guided San Francisco to two playoff wins, will have to win a quarterback competition to stay on the field. Even if Purdy sees the field next season, it is likely the book will be out on him, and opposing defenses will be better at slowing him down.
See more NFL picks >>