The Eagles’ quarterback room took another hit on Friday, with Philadelphia releasing Andy Dalton ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dalton, who played in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears and threw an interception at the goal line, is out of the mix for now as the Eagles keep churning through roster moves. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said, “This doesn’t close the door on Andy Dalton’s tenure with the Eagles,” and added, “They have a lot of injuries and needed his spot. Could still return, even via a practice-squad spot, a source informed says.”
For the moment, the Eagles will move forward with Tanner McKee and Cole Payton as the backups behind Jalen Hurts.
Dalton arrives at this point with a long résumé: the three-time Pro Bowler has passed for 39,793 yards and 254 touchdowns across 180 career games. He built much of that success during his years with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he’s clearly nearing the end of the line.
Philadelphia’s injury and personnel issues have piled up fast. Earlier this week, Lane Johnson announced he was retiring mid-season, saying he’s stepping away from football to focus on his family and mental health. Then on Wednesday, the Eagles traded Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-rounder to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
And as if the offensive line losses weren’t enough, the Eagles also ruled out Saquon Barkley for Week 5 because of injury.
That leaves Hurts with even more on his shoulders Sunday if Philadelphia wants to get past the Jaguars.
In Other News...
Marvin Harrison Jr. Just Got A Telling Place In Trade Chatter
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For Jaguars fans, the Brian Thomas Jr. angle is the one worth monitoring most closely, because his name is suddenly being discussed in the same breath as some of the more prominent trade possibilities on the board. A number of teams, including the Colts, 49ers, Chiefs, Raiders, Bills and Texans, have been mentioned as possible receiver destinations, and once that many clubs enter the discussion, the noise tends to linger until the deadline itself sorts out which rumors were real and which were just early-season leverage plays. [Read more 🡒]
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Starr arrives with a growing profile of her own, including two Grammy nominations and a third studio album, Starrgirl. The NFL has been emphasizing her as a generational talent with ties to both the London market and African music, a fitting fit for one of the leagues international showcases and a reminder that these overseas games are built to reach far past the usual football audience. [Read more 🡒]
Travon Walker Could Swing This Jaguars Eagles Showdown In London
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Jacksonvilles secondary also figures to have a major role, with Travis Hunter expected to draw a big assignment against Philadelphias top receiving threat, Dontayvion Wicks. The Eagles will be without DeVonta Smith, which changes the look of the passing game but does not take away the need for the Jaguars to stay sharp on the perimeter. In a matchup with plenty of moving parts, Walkers ability to tilt the line of scrimmage may be one of the clearest paths Jacksonville has to control the game. [Read more 🡒]