The Philadelphia Eagles are set at quarterback with reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts and backup signal caller Tanner McKee. But if things go terribly wrong, they may be in more danger than many could imagine.
The Eagles gave their top two quarterbacks the day off when they battled the Cleveland Browns on Saturday afternoon and the combination of Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord led Philadelphia to a 22-13 loss.
While worrying about the third-string quarterback is a case of nit-picking for the reigning champs, it presents a big concern as Nick Sirianni and his staff finalize the roster in the coming weeks.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Kyle McCord Inspire No Confidence in Eagles’ Loss to Browns
Thompson-Robinson got the start for the Eagles on Saturday but his performance left Philadelphia’s offense stuck in the mud. Thompson-Robinson completed five of his eight passes but that was mostly fueled by checkdowns as he threw for 17 yards.
An AJ Dillon reception that went for a loss of 14 yards didn’t help his numbers but that play began when Thompson-Robinson tossed the ball up for grabs as he was driven to the ground. Mix in an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Cleveland’s KJ Henry
Things didn’t go much better for McCord. The rookie out of Syracuse completed 8-of-16 passes with a touchdown on the afternoon but he also failed to push the ball downfield with an average depth of target of 4.3 yards according to Pro Football Focus.
Head coach Nick Sirianni deflected the blame from the quarterbacks, admitting his team didn’t execute on an afternoon where the Eagles had just 88 yards of total offense. And it might also seem like having a good No. 3 quarterback is a luxury for any team to have. The third signal caller is rarely active on gameday anyways and having him come into a contest is a worst case scenario.
But that third quarterback position may mean more to the Eagles. Jalen Hurts has a history of concussions including a Week 16 concussion against the Washington Commanders that forced him to miss the final two games of the regular season last year. Hurts is also used as a human battering ram on the tush push, which the Eagles use in any short yardage situation.
With Hurts’s ability as a dual threat, the quarterbacks behind him are closer to seeing the field than you think, which puts the No. 3 position into focus.
The Eagles could call old friend Carson Wentz to hold down the position or they could test their luck with two quarterbacks. They could also keep their eye on other training camp battles, which could make players like Detroit’s Hendon Hooker available. Either way, Philadelphia should be in the market for an upgrade and it could push Howie Roseman to make a move by the beginning of the season.