The Philadelphia Eagles still haven’t tipped their hand on the backup quarterback job, and the answer may not come until the inactive list drops for Sunday’s Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders.
On Tuesday, the Eagles released an unofficial depth chart and left the second-string quarterback spot unsettled. Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee were both listed in the same column behind Jalen Hurts, while fifth-round rookie Cole Payton appeared on the third team. Philadelphia has four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, but all four are unlikely to dress for the opener unless the Eagles make a roster move or announce a decision beforehand.
Dalton arrived in March when the Eagles acquired him from the Carolina Panthers, giving the room a veteran with plenty of mileage. The three-time Pro Bowler turns 39 in October and could end up playing for his sixth different team in the last eight years. He also brings a resume that stands out: 39,793 career passing yards and at least one start in every one of his 15 NFL seasons.
But the preseason hasn’t made the choice simple. Dalton completed 18 of 35 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown across three preseason games. McKee, meanwhile, looked sharper in his second exhibition outing, going 16-of-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
Even after that, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni wouldn’t commit to one name. “I think both the guys are battling, and I’m really confident in both of the guys.
We’ll see where that goes,” Sirianni said two weeks ago, per team reporter Chris McPherson. “It’s still a competition.”
McKee also has some real game experience to lean on. He flashed in a Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys during the 2025 season, throwing two late touchdowns in his debut.
He followed that with his first NFL start, leading the Eagles to a 20-13 win over the New York Giants with 269 yards and two touchdowns. In his next start, a Week 18 loss to the Commanders, McKee finished 21-of-40 for 241 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
In Other News...
Eagles Head Into Week 1 With Clear Offseason Winners And Losers
The Eagles head into Week 1 against Washington after an offseason that reshaped parts of the roster and the coaching staff, with the kind of changes that tend to leave a few clear beneficiaries. Sean Mannions promotion to offensive coordinator stands out as one of the more notable internal moves, while contract extensions for defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter gave the front of the defense a firmer long-term foundation. The 2025 draft class also appears to have moved the needle, adding another layer to a spring and summer that was anything but quiet in Philadelphia.
Not every part of the picture looks settled, though. Injuries have already complicated the outlook for players such as Jonathan Greenard and Makai Lemon, and the cornerback spot remains a concern as the team moves into the season opener. For a roster with playoff expectations, the offseason winners are easy enough to identify, but the unresolved questions are the ones that will matter once the Commanders arrive and the early September pressure starts to feel real. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Got A Brutal Warning About Paying Their Young Corners
Christian Gonzalezs new deal with New England has changed the top of the cornerback market in a way the Eagles cant ignore. The Patriots locked up their young star on a four-year, $135 million extension, and with that, the price of elite coverage talent just jumped again at exactly the kind of position Philadelphia has invested in heavily over the last two seasons.
For the Eagles, the timing matters almost as much as the dollar figure. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are both trending toward major contracts of their own in the not-too-distant future, and the front office now has a fresh reminder of how expensive it can be to keep young corners together once they start stacking strong seasons. Managing those decisions while keeping the rest of the roster intact is going to be one of the tougher cap balancing acts ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Have Early Chance To Prove This Roster Hype Is Real
The Eagles head into Week 1 against the Commanders with the kind of roster buzz that only really means something once the games start counting. Nick Sirianni has already shown he can get his team ready for openers, and this one will offer an early chance to see whether the optimism around the offense matches the reality on the field. With playmakers like Miles Sanders, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown expected to factor heavily, Philadelphia has a chance to show its depth and its ceiling right away.
Saquon Barkley looms as one of the biggest reasons for that optimism, since the Eagles view this as the healthiest he and the offensive line have been all year. Smith also has a chance to take on a larger role as a No. 1 receiver, with Rasul Douglas and Mike Sainristil likely to be the first Commanders defenders asked to slow him down. How those matchups play out should say plenty about whether this roster hype is real or just summer noise. [Read more 🡒]