Jalen Hurts will start at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in place of Carson Wentz.

Rookie Hurts replaced the struggling Wentz in the third quarter of the Eagles' 30-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers last week, their fourth consecutive reverse.

According to widespread reports, the second-round pick out of Oklahoma will take the starting job for the home game with the Saints.

Wentz, who signed a lucrative four-year, $128million contract extension in 2019, has come under increasing pressure with the Eagles.

The team who won the Super Bowl in the 2017 season have fallen to 3-8-1 in a miserable campaign.

Coach Doug Pederson, who has been the subject of job speculation, would not commit to naming a starter either way in the immediate aftermath of the Packers game, but has now done so.

Wentz has been unable to repeat the MVP-calibre form he showed in 2017 before injury ruled him out of their famous postseason run led by backup QB Nick Foles.

This year he has 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions – already a career-high - through 12 games.

He has career-lows in passer rating (72.8) and completion percentage (57.4), having been sacked an NFL-high 50 times in 2020.

Hurts completed five of his 12 passes for 109 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Packers while rushing five times for 29 yards.

He showed impressive touch to deliver a beautiful TD pass to Greg Ward while rolling to his right on fourth-and-18 that likely helped Pederson to rule in his favour.

Hurts will not have an easy first start. The Saints are 10-2 and on pace to be the number one seed in the NFC.

Their defense is best in the league for yards allowed per game (288.8) and fourth in points per game (20.1).