The Philadelphia Eagles made some necessary changes to their coaching staff at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign. With the NFL Scouting Combine kicking off this week in Indianapolis, the rumors regarding teams' offseason plans will pick back up.
Although the Eagles haven't stated they plan to shop quarterback Tanner McKee, that doesn't mean other teams aren't looking at him. Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports revealed that McKee could be a trade target for the New York Jets.
"Much of the narrative outside the league has centered around the team potentially making a trade for Kyler Murray. Yet people in the league tell me if general manager Darren Mougey gets his way, the Jets will look to bring in a less-expensive signal caller, and two names keep entering the conversation: Tanner McKee and Davis Mills," Pauline wrote. "Both are Stanford graduates who backed up big-name quarterbacks, and each player is in the final year of their contracts, which means the Jets would have to swing a trade to bring either into the franchise."
And with a desperate team looking for options at quarterback, the Eagles may have to listen to what they are willing to offer.
Jets Reportedly Interested in Eagles Backup QB Tanner McKee
McKee has been floated as a trade candidate since last year, but things might get over the hump this offseason. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has been Philly's QB2 over the last two seasons.
Thankfully, Jalen Hurts was healthy, preventing McKee from being forced into action. Instead, he started the season finales during both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In those outings, he was 54-of-88 (61.4 percent) for 597 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, and one interception.
McKee has only two starts under his belt, but it's the potential that makes him an interesting option. The Jets are closing the door on the Justin Fields experiment and need another quarterback. McKee could be seen as a more stable option.
Another reason this could make sense for the Jets is that Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported that new Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich "typically geared his offense toward pocket passers."
Interestingly enough, Reich was just the interim coach at McKee's alma mater, Stanford, in 2025. He was doing Andrew Luck a favor, who is now the university's football general manager. The fact that there is a legitimate connection between Reich and McKee adds another layer to this conversation.
That makes the idea of pursuing McKee more intriguing. It's also worth noting that McKee is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the Eagles don't plan to extend him, they are better off moving him now for a draft pick. Gaining some return rather than letting him walk next offseason for free is always a prudent decision for a front office to make when facing such a situation.
McKee has provided Philadelphia stability at backup QB over the last two seasons. However, with him emerging as a trade option for the Jets, the Eagles will need to have some tough conversations around his future with the team.