PHILADELPHIA - Tanner McKee entered training camp expecting to keep his spot as the Eagles’ top backup quarterback. Instead, he’s spending the first week of camp in a real fight for it.
Philadelphia traded for 16-year veteran Andy Dalton in March, and the move didn’t initially look like a threat to McKee’s role. Five practices into camp, though, the Eagles have turned the backup quarterback spot into a daily competition, splitting second-team reps between Dalton and McKee. There still isn’t a final call, but Dalton has been the sharper quarterback so far, showing more decisiveness and accuracy and starting to create separation.
That leaves McKee with three weeks to prove he belongs ahead of Dalton.
“I don’t think you can be surprised whenever they bring in somebody or if there is ever competition‚" McKee said after Tuesday’s practice. “In the NFL, there is always going to be competition.
They are trying to improve the roster every year. So anybody that they can bring in to make you compete or make you earn your spot, that’s definitely want everybody wants.
For a player, it’s great. It is great to have someone to push you and to make you better.
The stakes in practice are a little bit higher. So it makes it fun.”
McKee, 26, is in a tough spot, but he’s not treating the competition like a setback. He sees it as a chance to pick up details from a quarterback who has started 169 NFL games and who has already been through something similar in this offense.
“Andy is a great guy,” McKee said. “I can learn a ton from him, especially with the new offense.
He’s been in a very similar offense before. Seeing how he reads things and approaches things.
He’s obviously been in the NFL for quite some time. So it’s great picking his brain, especially with the new offense.”
Dalton has noticed McKee’s mindset, too. After Tuesday’s practice, Dalton said “Tanner has been great” and described him as “smart.”
“He understands exactly what we’re trying to do,” Dalton said after Tuesday’s practice. “So I’ve been impressed with Tanner. It’s been fun just to build the relationship with him as well.”
Last summer, McKee had the second-team reps to himself. This year is different.
He’s spending plenty of practice time off to the side, watching while Dalton works. That kind of lost volume could slow his growth, but McKee said he’s focused on making the most of every chance he gets.
“The mental reps are always important,” McKee said about continuing to improve with less physical reps. “It’s similar to the season.
You’re not getting as many reps. Mental reps are very important, asking questions in the meeting rooms are important.
And then taking advantage of every rep that you get.”
On Tuesday, McKee opened with the second-team offense, but Dalton also handled a heavy share of snaps with the 2’s for the fifth straight day and looked more comfortable in the offense.
Dalton’s presence gives the Eagles a dependable backup option, but it also raises a simple question: why keep playing at 38 when he’s already built a strong résumé?
“I still have a lot of fun doing it,” Dalton said. “Just coming out here to camp, putting pads on for the first time this training camp, it’s like, ‘Alright, we are back to playing football again.’
“I’m still enjoying it. I still feel like I can bring value to a quarterback room.
But not just that. I think there’s some things with being in the locker room, being with young guys, trying to make an impact far beyond just the game of football.
The conversations you’re able to have, the relationships you‘re able to build, there’s nothing else like this. I’m trying to soak it all in as much as I can, trying to get the most out of the game because obviously once you are done, you are done.”
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