The Philadelphia Eagles wrapped up their three-game preseason schedule on Friday night with a 19-17 victory over the New York Jets to cap off the exhibition campaign with a 2-1 record.
With, essentially, all of the starters on both sides of the ball sitting this game out to ensure they are as healthy as possible entering Week 1 when the Dallas Cowboys roll into town, the fact that one of the biggest topics to come from Nick Sirianni's postgame press conference was in reference to an injury in the quarterback room is a bit concerning.
Thankfully, this is not an issue involving Jalen Hurts, but it does directly impact what Sirianni and the offensive staff will do regarding who starts the season as his primary backup.
Sirianni Gives Worrisome Update on Injured Eagles QB Tanner McKee
Entering Friday night, the QB2 job in Philadelphia had been all but locked up by Tanner McKee. After a standout showing during the preseason, there was a clear separation from the pack when it came to where McKee stood and where Dorian Thompson-Robinson and rookie Kyle McCord resided on the depth chart.
Unfortunately, McKee is dinged up with the regular season on the horizon, as Sirianni reiterated the signal caller is dealing with a finger injury when asked about his status for Week 1.
“We'll see. You guys know he's dealing with a finger,” Sirianni said, via Victor Williams of USA Today. “He's working to get back. We'll see where he is.”
Should McKee not be ready to play when the Eagles and Cowboys square off, the coaching staff will have a big decision on its hands. It is a very fair question to ask whether Thompson-Robinson or McCord has done anything to make fans or the coaches think they are a reliable QB2 option at this moment.
If the answer to that question isn't an outright "no," then there are at least some serious doubts about each option based on what they have shown throughout camp and the preseason. Neither of their respective statistics comes close to what McKee did during the exhibition campaign, as he completed 80% of his attempts for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
With teams across the league making cuts ahead of Tuesday afternoon's deadline to be down to a 53-man roster, it might not be the worst idea for Howie Roseman and the front office to keep an eye out for a trustworthy veteran who could hold down the fort behind Hurts until McKee is ready to return.