National Football League

Jalen Hurts shows off new-look biceps at Eagles' OTAs

Updated Jun. 13, 2022 6:32 p.m. ET

This year's version of Jalen Hurts is not the same one we saw during OTAs a year ago.

The 2022 rendition of Hurts is noticeably bigger, and his new-look biceps are the clear results of a dogged determination to improve his body.

Hurts is hoping that his bodily enhancements will reward him with greater results on the field.

"He just has a relentless effort to be great," Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said regarding his QB1. "Every approach he takes — he doesn’t have an offseason. He’s always on it. He’s always thinking about football. We’re always talking football, day in and day out, and he’s continuing to grow as a player, as a leader, every single day.

"You can see right now obviously his feet, we’re working on his feet right now, the drop, the quickness of it, the timing," Steichen added. "It’s starting to show. He’s a young player, trying to get better every single day. That’s what he’s been doing, and it’s been really good to see."

Hurts' big-armed capabilities, combined with his playmaking as a runner, was a stark turnaround from the team's quarterbacking of old, and his contributions helped Philly slide into the postseason, guided by a stretch in which it won six of seven games.

And Philly's fresh receiving corps has fans and coaches alike thrilled about the potential they have for the upcoming season.

Those talents include speedy deep-threat Devon Allen and sturdy starlet A.J. Brown, who the Eagles acquired on draft night.

Allen, whom the Eagles signed in April, just recorded the third-fastest 110-meter hurdles time in track and field history, while Brown pulled in 63 catches for 869 yards and five TDs with Tennessee in 2021.

Hurts' production last season — which includes 3,144 passing yards and 16 TDs on a 61.3% completion rate (265-for-432) — could see a substantial increase with his new arsenal. He also finished tops across the NFL in big play rushes (10-plus yards) with 29, ninth in completed air yards per completion (6.3) and third-lowest in bad throw percentage (14%).

And his numbers through his first two pro seasons mirror those of another highly-touted star on the East Coast through the same stretch: Josh Allen.

Through his first 19 starts, Hurts has topped Allen in completion percentage, yards per game, yards per attempt, and passer rating, all without the services of a clear No. 1 target. But Brown's presence, along with DeVonta Smith's progression, could change all of that for the better.

Hurts' athleticism has been no secret, but one has to wonder if his offseason work will help him reach even higher heights.