NFL Sophomore Watch: Is Jalen Hurts a franchise QB?

What it all means for Sunday

With both teams coming off wins in week 1, this Sunday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia should be a better barometer of how good they really are. The 49ers definitely consider themselves a playoff team, and after Philly’s decisive win in Atlanta, it’s fair to say that they probably feel the same way.

The intrigue, in my opinion, will be when the Eagles have the ball and seeing how well Jalen Hurts is able to navigate one of the better defenses in the NFL. Before the season, Pro Football Focus had the 49ers in their second tier of defenses along with other squads like the Saints, Colts, Patriots, Packers, and Browns.

The consensus seems to be that San Francisco has a top-10 defense, and the aforementioned young players Bosa, Greenlaw, and Kinlaw (despite the possible injuries to the latter two) are big reasons why.

The 49ers might be a bit vulnerable on the back end though, as the able-bodied players in their secondary are young. A thin unit got thinner when cornerback Jason Verrett tore his ACL in Detroit last Sunday.

The Niners are subsequently forced to start rookie Ambry Thomas at right corner, while rookie backup Deommodore Lenoir could see some snaps at left corner as the starter Emmanuel Moseley hasn’t been practicing.

San Francisco signed both Josh Norman and Dre Kirkpatrick, but both of those guys are on the wrong side of 30. Despite his legal troubles (he’s facing 5 misdemeanors related to a drunk-driving incident), 33-year-old Richard Sherman might be another possible addition as San Francisco tries to sheer up their defensive back depth.

So, the overarching question seems to be, can Jalen Hurts and the Eagles take advantage of a depleted 49ers’ secondary? Or will San Francisco’s front seven prove to be too much for the Eagles’ new head coach and his offensive unit? We’ll find out at 1 PM ET Sunday.