Eagles Turn to Former Cowboys QB After Jalen Hurts Injury

The Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback room has shifted dramatically over the last couple of days.

Franchise star Jalen Hurts has been sidelined with a superficial blood clot in his calf. The issue was reportedly discovered before the Eagles' game against the Jaguars in Week 5, but doctors initially cleared him to play in Sunday's game. However, a follow-up ultrasound on Wednesday revealed that the clot had moved.

The Eagles have already ruled Hurts out for their Week 6 contest against the Panthers, but recent reports have indicated he could be out indefinitely. The timing couldn't be worse with Philadelphia having lost three straight games and sitting under .500 at 2-3.

In response, the Eagles have signed quarterback Joe Milton III off the Cowboys' practice squad, adding him to their 53-man roster just two days before their showdown with Carolina.

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Milton was the Patriots' sixth-round pick in 2024 after a college career split between Michigan and Tennessee. He's a physically imposing quarterback at 6-foot-5, 236 pounds, with his biggest selling point being his arm strength, earning him the nickname "Bazooka Joe." He's been one of the most exciting young quarterbacks to follow over the last couple of years as a result.

However, he hasn't seen the field much over his first two seasons in the NFL. He's appeared in just five regular-season games total, one with New England and four with Dallas. Over that span, he's completed 69.8% of his passes for 424 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He did, however, impress during preseason with the Cowboys this year, throwing for 378 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Milton has shown an ability to make deep throws and has enough mobility to move around outside the pocket or pick up extra yards with his legs. But he's not the dual-threat quarterback Hurts was, and it will be hard for Philadelphia to make up for that loss.

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Milton's arrival doesn't automatically make him the starter. Tanner McKee is still expected to start against the Panthers on Sunday. But for Milton, this is a chance to earn a valuable role with a division rival and potentially lock down a bigger contract after the season.