The 2023 NFL season is just a few weeks away.
With just one game left on the preseason schedule, the Philadelphia Eagles will hold their final training camp practice on Tuesday morning.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve kept an eye on Jalen Hurts’ performance during training camp. Hurts has performed well throughout camp and was among the standouts in the final practice versus the Cleveland Browns. However, Hurts has thrown just 15 touchdowns in training camp in 2023 compared to 25 touchdowns in 2022.
Should Eagles fans be worried about the apparent decline?
Jalen Hurts Training Camp Stats
Unlike previous seasons, head coach Nick Sirianni has given Hurts the entire preseason off.
The Eagles’ quarterback did not participate in the team’s first two preseason games and is unlikely to play in the finale versus the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday.
That means we almost have the complete picture of Hurts’ 2023 training camp stats.
Through 13 training camp practices, Hurts has been in midseason form. The Eagles’ quarterback has completed 165 of 222 passes (74%) with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions while making a handful of highlight-reel plays.
Overall, he’s performed well but his current 360 reps would mark a career low. He had 468 training camp reps as a rookie and 415 in 2022.
Why Have Hurts’ TDs Declined in Training Camp?
Despite playing well throughout training camp, Hurts’ touchdown numbers have declined by 40 percent in 2023.
With just one training camp practice remaining, the Eagles’ QB has thrown for 15 touchdowns. Last season, he threw for 25 touchdowns during training camp.
His training camp reps are down 13.3 percent, so that explains part of the discrepancy. However, there are a few other reasons for the decline.
According to reports, Hurts is running for more touchdowns on the ground during red zone drills, which has lowered his TD numbers. The Eagles have also done less red zone work in 2023, leading to fewer touchdown opportunities.
Philadelphia was among the top NFL teams in red zone scoring percentage, ranking third in the league behind only Kansas City and Dallas.
In training camp, it’s important not to focus on the numbers, but instead, on a player’s overall performance. Overall, Hurts has drawn rave reviews out of training camp in 2023, so Eagles fans have little reason to worry about him heading into the regular season.
[…] As we noted previously, Philadelphia did less red zone work during camp this year, which led to diminished touchdown totals for the Eagles’ QB. […]