The Eagles’ Week 3 loss to the Bears came with a strange backdrop: Chicago was working with third-string quarterback Case Keenum, yet Philadelphia still walked out of primetime with an embarrassing defeat. The game turned on a brutal mistake at the goal line, when Andy Dalton threw an interception that helped define just how messy the Eagles’ quarterback situation has become.
That mess is bigger than one game. After Week 3, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed to Philadelphia as one of three teams caught in the same trade dilemma at quarterback, alongside the Steelers and Browns.
“Three teams -- the Eagles, Browns and Steelers -- are carrying four quarterbacks and probably would welcome a deal at the right price,” Fowler writes.
For Philadelphia, Jalen Hurts is not part of the discussion. The real question is what happens with Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton, and even Cole Payton. The Eagles have enough depth to at least hear teams out if the right offer comes along.
The Browns and Steelers are in similar territory, even if their setups look a little different. Cleveland has Deshaun Watson locked in as the starter, while Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel could be the names that draw interest in a trade. Rookie Taylen Green, meanwhile, is not expected to be dealt.
Pittsburgh’s situation is built around Aaron Rodgers, who is firmly in place as the starter. Behind him, the trade possibilities include Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, with Penn State rookie QB Drew Allar also part of the group.
The difference, though, is that not every quarterback on the market carries the same value. Dalton and McKee are rental types for Philadelphia, while Rudolph is the only Steelers quarterback who fits that same short-term label. Gabriel, Sanders, Howard, and Allar all offer longer-term control, which makes them more attractive pieces for a team looking to add a quarterback.
That puts the Eagles in a tougher spot. They may find a team willing to pay less for one of their backups, but the Browns and Steelers appear to have the more appealing trade chips if quarterback-needy teams come calling.
With injuries piling up around the league and three teams sitting on four quarterbacks each, the odds of a move feel real. The only question now is which club decides to act first.
In Other News...
Steelers Defense Just Took A Brutal Hit Against The Browns
A Thursday night collision with the Browns brought an early injury scare for Pittsburgh, as defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was carted off with a foot injury and quickly listed as questionable. The timing could not have been worse for a defense already trying to slow Clevelands momentum, with the Browns taking a 21-10 lead into halftime.
Harmons exit leaves the Steelers with a bigger problem than just one missing body in the middle. His presence matters in both the run game and the pass rush, and Pittsburgh now has to adjust on the fly while trying to keep Cleveland from controlling the line of scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Complicated One Steelers Blame Game
Aaron Rodgers added a layer to the Steelers postgame frustration after the late possession in the loss to Cleveland, pushing back on the idea that the play was simply about Jaylen Warren being the intended answer on second down. Rodgers said five players were running routes on the snap, a reminder that what looks obvious from the outside can be a lot messier once protection, timing and route distribution come into play.
For a Pittsburgh offense still trying to sort through what went wrong in a tight, late-game sequence, that matters. The ball ending up with Warren does not automatically tell the full story of the design, and Rodgers explanation points to the kind of breakdown that can involve more than one player and more than one decision. In a game that already invited blame, the more interesting question may be how much of that play was about execution, and how much was about the pressure closing in around it. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Already Have A Rodgers-McCarthy Sideline Problem
The Steelers got a little reminder in Week 4 that bringing familiar faces together does not always mean smooth sailing. During Thursday nights game against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy were caught in a heated sideline exchange after Rodgers grew frustrated over a delayed play call, and McCarthy fired back with a profane retort.
For Pittsburgh, it was the kind of moment that can linger because of how much history is wrapped into it. Rodgers and McCarthy won a Super Bowl together in Green Bay before reuniting in Pittsburgh, so the chemistry was never going to be a mystery, but neither was the possibility of old competitive habits resurfacing when the pressure ratchets up. Fans who were hoping for a clean reunion got a glimpse of something a lot messier, and it will be worth watching how that dynamic plays out moving forward. [Read more 🡒]