Jalen Hurts will be operating a new offense next season. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback will be working very closely with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion following the firing of Kevin Patullo at the end of the 2025 NFL season. Hurts will be working under a new offensive coordinator in 2026GettyThe relationship between Hurts and Patullo looked to have soured by the end of their tenure working together after a clip of the signal caller looking bemused by a play-call made in the Eagles’ 23-19 Wild Card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers went viral on social media. Therefore, an argument could be made that this is a fresh slate for Hurts, who is only two seasons removed from being named Super Bowl LIX MVP. However, he will be without star wide receiver AJ Brown, who was traded to the New England Patriots, where he reunites with head Mike Vrabel, with the two having spent time at the Tennessee Titans together in the early parts of his pro football career. While Hurts and the Eagles have lost a three-time Pro Bowler in Brown, who averages over 1,000 yards a season across his seven-year career, they have also ushered away the distraction that having the wide receiver on the roster caused. Of course, there was ongoing discourse that there was a feud behind the scenes between Hurts and Brown, and with tensions rife, some have made the case that it ultimately cost the Eagles a chance to really try and repeat as Super Bowl champions.“Distractions just take the focus off of football and winning games, and this caused a ton of distractions in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room,” former Eagles cornerback DeAngelo Hall said during an appearance on the Hard Rock Bet podcast. “Even when they won games, there was always talk about Brown’s stats and whether he got enough targets. There was always something. “So, now they can wash their hands, and there’s no more Jalen [Hurts] versus A.J. talk. That offense is going to be able to flow a little bit smoother than it did last season, and they can put the focus back on winning football games. “Sometimes it can be good for both sides to just have a clean break and go their separate ways.”Of course, the Eagles drafted USC WR Makai Lemon with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, who exploded for 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025, pipping the Pittsburgh Steelers to select him at the last minute. Brown’s relationship with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts dominated the discourse around the team last seasonGettyMakai Lemon was snatched by the Eagles from the Steelers at the very last momentGettyThey also acquired Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency to pair with their WR1 DeVonta Smith, so it’s not as though Hurts is lacking any receiving arsenal. Hurts not immune from being benchedBut the future for Hurts isn’t as clear as it might seem, with reports that should he fail to perform under new OC Mannion, he could well see himself get benched during their 2026 campaign. Despite having penned a five-year, $255 million extension in April 2023, Hurts has very little guaranteed money beyond 2026, which means the Eagles could, if necessary, look to a future that is possibly without the 27-year-old. However, The Athletic’s Zach Berman is doubtful that he would actually be benched by Nick Sirianni. “I don’t think there’s any clock on Jalen Hurts during the season,” Berman wrote. “If there’s a worst-case scenario in which Hurts struggles in this offense and the Eagles are unenthused about giving Hurts a new contract, then it’s a conversation after the season. “But I don’t see the Eagles benching Hurts this season. So to answer that part succinctly: Hurts gets the whole season.”Hurts may not be afforded the time he needs to acclimatize to a new offense, againGettyHowever, he does make the case that getting used to yet another play caller – his sixth since he was drafted in 2020 – could take some time, and suggests that he should be afforded some patience in that respect. “As far as the new offensive system, I think it’s reasonable to expect growing pains early in the year and an adjustment process. It’s important that the Eagles remain relatively patient,” Berman wrote. “I say ‘relatively’ because they need to win games, so it’s not as if they can wait until December for the system to click. … I don’t see the Eagles abandoning the system – there’s a reason they went in this direction — but I think the Eagles must know their offensive identity around Week 6. “… I don’t want to sound ‘hot takey’ — what are the alternatives? This is the Eagles’ offense this season. But they ultimately need to tailor the offense to what works. … They need to win with the players on the roster. I believe they can.”Fortunately for Hurts, Mannion appears to be a huge fan of the signal caller. “Jalen’s been awesome,” he said of Hurts.. “I really think he can do anything we ask of him. He’s accurate. He’s a great athlete. He really attacks the fundamentals. That’s what’s been really fun to watch. …New Eagles OC Mannion (R) is a huge fan of HurtsGetty“He’s always wanting more things to work on, wanting more things regarding fundamentals, timing, understanding the scheme. He’s hungry for more. Those are the guys that are really fun to work with.”One rival scout, though, isn’t convinced. “Jalen Hurts is on notice: Do it their way,” the anonymous rival scout said, according to Athlon Sports. “The Eagles have sent several unsubtle messages to Hurts through the media. They want him to play within their system and not freelance. He has taken the high road so far.”Stay up to date on all things NFL across our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET.