The Eagles closed the preseason with more questions than answers, but Nick Sirianni isn’t sounding rattled about the quarterback room.
Philadelphia’s final tune-up ended in a 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, leaving the Eagles winless in three preseason games as they head toward the 2026 NFL regular season opener against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 13. The performance didn’t do much to settle the backup quarterback competition behind Jalen Hurts, especially with the roster still in flux.
Tanner McKee entered the summer looking like the favorite for the QB2 job, but his finale was rough. He completed 12 of 22 passes for 55 yards, a line that didn’t help his case. Andy Dalton didn’t exactly light it up either, though he was clearly the better of the two on Friday.
Nick Sirianni said he “feels good about both” Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee as potential backup quarterbacks.
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) August 29, 2026
Sirianni also said they feel good about where Cole Payton is at. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/vlzvsMtrMO
Still, Sirianni chose to focus on the bigger picture.
“I guess I feel good about both guys. I feel like it's a good room. I view it as a good thing that I feel good about both those guys and your staff feels good about both those guys,” Sirianni said, via EJ Smith of PHLY Sports.
The Eagles also got a short look at Cole Payton, their fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The expectation is that the 23-year-old will spend the year learning the offense, and Sirianni’s comfort level with the quarterback group suggests the team feels good about where Payton stands for now.
McKee was Hurts’ primary backup last season after working as the third-string quarterback in 2024. With Payton in the mix, Philadelphia still has to decide whether McKee or Dalton stays in the room.
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