The Philadelphia Eagles will be without quarterback Jalen Hurts for Week 6’s game hosting the Carolina Panthers after it was revealed on Thursday that Hurts had a blood clot in his calf, which after seeing movement on a Wednesday night ultrasound had him ruled out of the matchup.
Although the issue was listed as “superficial” upon initial imaging on Saturday, a move in the clot could represent something more severe that could lead the Eagles to be sans Hurts for weeks, if not months – depending on how deep in the vein the clot is.
2023 sixth round pick Tanner McKee will fill in for Hurts on Sunday, but if the 28-year old is out for most or the entirety of the ensuing season, then he or rookie Cole Payton may not be sufficient to keep the team’s season alive; assuming general manager Howie Roseman is not looking to soft tank the season.
In this scenario, the Eagles would be desperately in need of a quarterback unless McKee shows out like he did in the 20-13 against the New York Giants at the end of the 2024 season, where he threw for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. A performance that was not replicated the following year in 2025, when McKee threw for barely a 50% completion percentage in a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 18.
The Eagles’ savior could end up being none other than former starter, MVP candidate and Super Bowl champion: Carson Wentz.
Eagles Trade Proposal Brings Lands Them Carson Wentz
Wentz did not have a great relationship with the old coaching staff, including ex-head coach Doug Pederson, who benched Wentz for Hurts after the former seemed to get the yips after the Eagles drafted the latter earlier that year in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
If Hurts is out for the season, Wentz would come in yip-free and safe in the knowledge that it was his team and his job for the remainder of the year.
Indeed there are many Philadelphia fans who – as they should – still have a lot of love for the former second overall pick for his role in helping the Eagles make their way to the playoffs in the 2017 season, during which Nick Foles lead them to Super Bowl victory against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Carson Wentz Could Help Stabilize the Eagles Offense in Hurts’ Absence
Wentz has proven to be a solid, capable quarterback when forced to deputize for the Minnesota Vikings over the past two seasons in place of Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
And given the structure of Wentz’s one-year, $3 million deal, the Eagles would only take on a little over $1 million in cap in 2026, something that they could more than afford, currently having over $9 million in cap space this year.
If Wentz plays well, it is not inconceivable that the Eagles get back a compensatory pick at the end of the season if a team subsequently signs him to become a bridge starter or high-end backup.
The Vikings may be hesitant to part ways with their QB2, having already said goodbye to J.J. McCarthy earlier this season. But with faces like Andy Dalton on the market, and a potential QB swap that would see McKee go the other way, Minnesota may well acquiesce for the right price.
Eagles Trade Proposal Sees Them Reunite with All-Pro, Super Bowl-Winning QB