Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/29tnuy87
Originally published June 10, 2026
PHILADELPHIA — As the Eagles wrapped up minicamp ahead of their summer break, Jalen Hurts put to bed some lingering questions.
He talked about receiver A.J. Brown’s departure for New England and about the ESPN story from April 1 that portrayed him as resistant to change. And he flatly denied a key detail from the story about the failed fourth-down play that ended Philadelphia’s season.
The quarterback didn’t dodge any of it.
Brown recently said he and Hurts were no longer as close as they once were, though he added there was no animosity between them. Hurts declined to dispute Brown’s view.
“I’m not in the place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Hurts said Wednesday. “Seemingly so, it was. That’s where I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy towards that. As a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have on the team.”
Asked whether he was disappointed by how Brown’s Eagles tenure ended, Hurts instead reflected on what they accomplished together.
“You come into it and you have a sense of pride with how it began, and definitely what we were able to accomplish,” Hurts said. “Nothing can take that away. For the great things that we did, now it’s time to focus on achieving great things with this iteration of the team.”
Regarding the ESPN story:
“I’ve never really asked for an opportunity to respond to anything,” he said. “So just let it live and go do my job.”
The quarterback rejected the notion that he is resistant to change, a theme that surfaced in that story and previous reporting during the season.
“I’m always open to growth. I’m always open to improving,” Hurts said. “I think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping? And so, I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes so we can just continue to build on the foundation that we’re beginning to lay down.”
Asked whether he called for the infamous four-verticals concept on the Eagles’ final offensive snap in the wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Hurts offered a two-word answer.
“Nah. No.”
Coach Nick Sirianni defended Hurts when asked about the scrutiny surrounding his quarterback.
“I think Jalen is consistent. Very, very consistent,” Sirianni said. “One thing I know Jalen does is stay locked into the moment and things that he can control.”
Carter extension watch
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter again participated in individual work but did not take part in team drills.
When asked whether Carter’s status was related to health or ongoing contract discussions, Sirianni declined to elaborate.
“I’m sorry, I’m not going to get into all those different things,” Sirianni said.
Carter, 25, is entering his fourth season. The Eagles picked up his fifth-year option, but he’s at a time in his career when elite defensive tackles often receive lucrative extensions, making his workload one of the more closely watched storylines entering training camp.
The team and Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, are reportedly negotiating a new deal.
Jurgens: Line trending in right direction
Center Cam Jurgens, who traveled to Medellin, Colombia, for stem-cell treatment in February, said he and the rest of the offensive line are feeling healthy. The group continues adjusting to new terminology and new techniques under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and O-line coach Chris Kuper, but health is a primary focus.
“After the Super Bowl (from the 2024 season), getting back surgery, you don’t really get an offseason,” a jovial Jurgens said. “You’re just rehabbing and you’re going right into the next season. … You’re trying to get through things, but it’s so nice to have a full offseason like this year.
“(Stem-cell therapy) is a great option for us. … I’m going to do everything I can to get my body right. I’ve talked to a lot of guys around the league, and so many people have used stem cells. I’ve noticed such a good change since I’ve been down there.”
The treatments are meant to help with surgery recovery, spinal disc degeneration, torn ligaments and joint damage.
NOTES: Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (personal reasons) was not present for Wednesday’s practice. … Sirianni said Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee will continue rotating as the No. 2 quarterback. McKee was QB2 Wednesday, with Dalton on the third team. … Rookie tight end Eli Stowers continues to impress. Sirianni called him “an extremely, extremely intelligent football player.” … Cornerback Riq Woolen remained one of the most noticeable defenders during minicamp and continued to receive extensive first-team work opposite Quinyon Mitchell. … The Eagles released Za’Darius Smith from the reserve-retired list and added veteran defensive end A.J. Epenesa as they continue reshaping the back end of the roster. … Training camp starts in late July, in approximately six weeks on a date to be announced.
Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.