Jalen Hurts’ Replacement Reportedly Ready at Eagles as QB’s Future Remains Uncertain

The Philadelphia Eagles added a new quarterback to its locker-room drafting NDSU alum Cole Payton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Jalen Hurts’ Replacement Reportedly Ready at Eagles as QB’s Future Remains Uncertain

Jalen Hurts (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Cole Payton was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round, adding depth to their quarterback roster.
  • Jalen Hurts' future with the Eagles remains uncertain, with potential cap savings if he is released after June 1, 2027.
  • Cole Payton expressed admiration for Jalen Hurts, calling him a competitor and a player he looks up to.

There’s always that one North Dakota State quarterback who topples the competition to reach the promised land. Carson Wentz, Trey Lance, Easton Stick, Cam Miller, the list goes on. The famous FCS school sent another one to the NFL in 2026. His name is Cole Payton, drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Eagles, adding to the QB room that has Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, and Tanner McKee.

The 2026 draft didn’t earn a lot of points for being a quarterback-heavy year. Barring Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, maybe even Carson Beck, not many college quarterbacks stood out that much.

Cole Payton, coming from a Tier Two Division One football structure, received even less attention compared to his peers. Sure, the Bison fans may write rhymes in Payton’s honor for delivering a couple of national championships, but to the larger football fraternity, he’s still an unknown prospect.

However, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski sees Payton becoming a regular starter in the NFL because he “has the makeup and requisite ability” to succeed in the league. Sobleski’s colleague and scout Dame Parson wrote,

[Cole] Payton is a developmental dual-threat quarterback with strong accuracy and experience running NFL/pro-style concepts… [He’s a] big, powerful quarterback and plus-level athlete. Adds an extra body in the running game, either on scrambles or designed runs.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? That’s because the Birds fans have watched Jalen Hurts do the same for six years, leading the team to two Super Bowls and winning one.

Then again, let’s not get ahead of the curve just yet. Hurts isn’t going anywhere soon, at least for the 2026 season. The Eagles can release or cut Hurts post-June 1 next year, saving some extra pennies in the cap space.

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Is Cole Payton’s presence a threat to Jalen Hurts?

Hurts is a controversial figure. Fans love to hate him. Then there’s Cowboys fanatic Skip Bayless, who would replace Dak Prescott with the Super Bowl MVP in a heartbeat if he were Jerry Jones.

Jalen Hurts' replacement reportedly ready from Eagles as QB's future remains uncertain
Jalen Hurts (Image via IMAGO)

Beyond the ifs, buts, and maybes, Hurts is a solid NFL quarterback who doesn’t get enough credit for his contributions. Sure, he’s not in the same caliber of dual-threat quarterback as Lamar Jackson, and as explosive as Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, but his biggest trait is that he wins games.

During the 2024-25 Super Bowl, Hurts orchestrated an impressive offensive performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, throwing for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Despite his pedigree, Hurts failed to replicate the same during the 2025-26 season, crashing out in the wild-card stage of the playoffs. Tension with wide receiver AJ Brown is the worst-kept secret in football. Even though the Eagles continue to accommodate both, a question hangs over their future. Might Brown leave before the current trade deadline? Will Hurts follow?

Cole Payton’s addition doesn’t prove anything. Moreover, the Eagles have McKee, who came out of nowhere. The Stanford standout only took three games to shock the football world and win over the Eagle fans. His rookie contract ends after this season, and he could genuinely be the Eagles’ next quarterback if Hurts were to go somewhere else.

Roseman could clear the house before the trade deadline

Howie Roseman loves Hurts, but he also has to make decisions that will benefit the Eagles. For now, the former Bama and Oklahoma man is safe in Philly. But that can’t be said about Dalton or McKee.

There’s no need to beat around the bush; Roseman loves hoarding draft picks. Dalton is entering his 16th year in the league and could be sacrificed for a draft pick ahead of McKee, which will also reduce the pressure on the cap space.

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