Jalen Hurts misses Eagles’ Thursday evening preseason recreation vs. Patriots with non-COVID sickness

Regardless of collaborating in pregame warmups, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was dominated out of Philadelphia’s preseason game towards the Patriots with a non-COVID sickness, the team announced. Hurts absence spoiled what was speculated to be his first recreation with rookie receiver DeVonta Smith, who was stored out of final Thursday’s preseason loss to the Steelers with a knee harm. 

“We wished to play him one or two sequence. He did not really feel nicely going into the locker room so we held him out,” stated Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.

With Hurts out, backup quarterback Joe Flacco bought the beginning towards the visiting Patriots. A nasty snap on the Eagles’ third play, nevertheless, arrange the Patriots’ first rating on a 5-yard run by New England operating again Damien Harris. 

A second-round decide within the 2020 draft, Hurts went 3-for-7 for 54 yards in final week’s 24-16 loss to Pittsburgh. Regardless of some early struggles, Hurts had a profitable outing throughout a current scrimmage towards the Patriots protection. It was additionally the primary time Hurts was in a position to communicate with Cam Newton in individual. Newton is attempting to remain forward of rookie quarterback Mac Jones on the Patriots’ depth chart. 

 “I’ve additionally had communication with him — simply from an older athlete, clearly he is a legendary participant, the issues he is performed in faculty and within the league,” Hurts said of Newton, by way of ESPN’s Tim McManus. “I watched him rather a lot rising up. Having the ability to discuss to him, having the ability to have a relationship with him, and assembly him in individual for the primary time, it was nice.”

Expectations in Philadelphia are excessive for Hurts, who’s hoping to assist the Eagles rebound after the franchise received simply 4 video games in 2020. 

“He is by no means happy,” Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen recently said of Hurts, by way of the Washington Publish. “That is what makes him good. He desires to be nice. … He is ascending in the proper path, and we’re enthusiastic about his progress.”