The Philadelphia Eagles had already shown a lack of trust in backup quarterback Tanner McKee heading into the 2026 draft. Philadelphia had opted to sign respected backup Andy Dalton as a clear threat behind the backup quarterback. Now, Dalton is far from the most threatening to McKee's standing with the team after the fifth-round selection of North Dakota State signal caller Cole Payton. It was a bit of a surprise selection and appears to signal a lack of trust in the team's current options.
Jalen Hurts is in no danger, having been a two-time Super Bowl starting quarterback and clearly the team's best option at the position. This leaves Dalton, Payton, and McKee contending for the two remaining roster spots. Whether as the second or third option, it makes sense to keep Dalton, who has by far the most starting experience.
This really leaves one spot for either Payton or McKee, with the Eagles' spending a fifth-round pick on Payton being very telling of how the team views its current options. Payton is the shiny new option, and fans will undoubtedly be excited by what he brings to the table as an elite rusher with a strong arm. It is really just his throwing motion that needs some refinement.
If the Eagles fix this, there is reason to wonder how high Payton's ceiling could be as a potential second option. This spells trouble for McKee, who is a known commodity in Philadelphia but lacks the elite physical gifts that Payton can offer as a project quarterback.
Eagles Set up Potential Tanner McKee Exit with Selection of QB Cole Payton
The sensible path forward if you're the Eagles is for Dalton to serve as the primary backup while Payton takes on the job as the third option. Philadelphia could even utilize the quarterback's rushing abilities by creating special packages to help Payton gain experience and give fans a glimpse of what the quarterback could offer as a future backup.
McKee has more experience, and that is the only clear edge the quarterback has heading towards the summer. The signal caller has 597 career passing yards to go along with five touchdowns in relief of Hurts. Being a known quantity is a bit of an advantage in what is otherwise clearly an unfortunate situation for the quarterback.
While it is far from ideal for McKee, it is a great development for the Eagles, who now have an exciting competition behind Hurts. Considering how Hurts plays the position, it is great to have depth, and the addition of Payton is particularly exciting as it is a needed wild card. Still, there is no denying the clear setback for the current Philly backups and the uphill battle it will be to keep a roster spot that should now be hotly contested.
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