PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley had a conversation Monday that the quarterback characterized the next day as a discussion “about how we move forward as a team so we continue to find ways to win games.”

The conversation lasted about an hour, a team source told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Barkley emphasized that it wasn’t a “players’ meeting,” which can indicate “all hell is breaking loose.” Rather, it was a meeting among “friends,” the running back said Tuesday ahead of the Eagles’ Thursday night game against the New York Giants.

“We had a conversation, but I’m not going to speak too much on it,” Barkley said. “I feel like that conversation is meant to stay between us. But the focus was all about the team. I think it was a good thing.”

Hurts, Brown and Barkley are three centerpieces of an Eagles offense that is still looking for an identity through five games this season under a new coordinator in Kevin Patullo. The group has shown “sparks” of promise at times, according to Barkley, but the Eagles have lacked consistency overall, ranking No. 30 in the league in yards.

When asked why there was a need for the meeting, Hurts chalked it up to “teammates being teammates.” Still, the conversation among the trio comes amid a recent wave of scrutiny surrounding the working relationship between Brown and Hurts.

Brown was at the center of a media storm last week in the aftermath of the Eagles’ narrow 31-25 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After he finished the day with just two receptions on nine targets for seven yards, Brown declined to speak to reporters in the locker room.

He did, however, take to X to share a couple of posts, including a Bible verse from the gospel of Mark: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”

The Inquirer reported in the immediate aftermath that the post was directed at someone internally with the Eagles. Later in the week, Brown said that he let his frustrations boil over and that his message “was not directed at anyone in the building. Not my coaches, not my quarterback, my GM, nobody.”

Brown added that he has open communication with his coaches and Hurts.

But their relationship came under the microscope again Sunday in the loss to the Denver Broncos. The Eagles, up 17-3 late in the third quarter, had an opportunity to take a three-score lead on a deep shot for Brown that could have resulted in a touchdown.

The pass sailed a few yards in front of Brown, who appeared to slow down on his route. Nick Sirianni credited Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto for rerouting Brown about 5 yards into his route to throw off the timing of the play. Brown said after the game that he and Hurts “just missed” on the play. Hurts said he needed to go back and watch the film.

It wasn’t just the failed play that drew attention. When Brown and Hurts returned to the sideline two plays later, they did not discuss the missed connection, a detail Brown confirmed when asked directly about it after the game.

An improved connection between Brown and Hurts could benefit a passing game that has run hot and cold to start the season. The Patullo-led Eagles offense ranks No. 29 in the league in passing attempts, No. 31 in passing yards, and No. 20 in passing touchdowns.

Their inconsistency and lack of rhythm between halves has been glaring, especially over the last few weeks. The Eagles’ passing game started slowly against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, then exploded for 20 points in the second half, buoyed by a 109-yard, one-touchdown performance by Brown.

The last two games have followed an inverse blueprint. Against the Bucs, Hurts went 15 of 16 for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, then failed to complete a pass on eight attempts in the second. Sunday’s game saw the Eagles offense go three-and-out on three consecutive drives between the third and fourth quarters, allowing the Broncos to stage a comeback.

Ultimately, the group is still seeking an identity, the aspect of the offense that they can rely on no matter the circumstance. Last year, that identity was rooted in the running game. This year, the running game has floundered, with Barkley averaging just 3.2 yards per carry (the league average is 4.4, for reference).

“There’s been halves where we look untouchable,” Barkley said. “There’s been halves where we look really bad. So I know I said it before, but we’ve just got to continue to have more halves of us playing at a high level. I don’t think just our conversation [gives me confidence going forward], I think it’s just the mindset of this team and this offense and how we work and what we believe we can be.”

When asked to share his overall takeaway from the meeting, Hurts expressed a desire to move on from the topic.

“I don’t want to make this about that, right?” Hurts said. “We’ve got a short week. We’ve got a division opponent coming in here. I enjoyed every second of it and I’m enjoying every second of every opportunity we have to improve. That’s what I’ve always made it about. That’s what I’ll continue to make it about.

“It’s truly about the collective ... and the opportunities we have in front of us. Everybody in this building just wants to take advantage of that.”

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The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane contributed to this article.

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