The Philadelphia Eagles lost both of their first two preseason games this year, but it's not something worth panicking about. None of the starters played in Week 2, and only Jihaad Campbell suited up for the first week. But that doesn't mean some big takeaways can't be made from these preseason games. If there is one major question mark still left, beyond the futures of Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru, it's the backup quarterback position. ESPN's Tim McManus highlighted how the backup QB job is still very much up for grabs, as Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee haven't proven their worth yet to solidify their spot as Jalen Hurts' backup for 2026. "
But neither QB has clearly separated from the other, making for an interesting decision as the time nears to trim the roster to 53," McManus writes. Both McKee and Dalton have been splitting reps at the QB2 spot this summer; however, Dalton's been the starting QB in both preseason games. The issue, however, is that Dalton's not proven he's deserving of this backup QB job. Instead, McKee has made it a closer race despite Philadelphia seemingly wanting to go with Dalton as the backup.
McKee in the second preseason game against the New England Patriots went 16-for-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He made some nice throws, took just one sack, and was overall quite impressive. Dalton, on the other hand, looked poor, making some bad throws and finishing the day 3-for-10 for 44 yards. In the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens, neither QB looked good, with Dalton going 3-for-6 for 20 yards, and McKee going 6-for-10 for 35 yards.
Hurts is the No. 1 QB; there's no question about that. But behind him, the depth chart is very much up in the air. Cole Payton might even wind up on the final 53-man roster depending on what happens. McKee or Dalton could be traded by the 53-man roster cutdown deadline, or maybe Payton is released by the Eagles, hoping to bring him back on the practice squad. For right now, it's clear the backup QB job is not over. McKee is making a serious push for the QB2 job, but the veteran Dalton is still a serious suitor.
If there's one thing to watch in the preseason finale, it's the QB competition.
