The Philadelphia Eagles are making a roster move on Friday before taking off to London for their Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the team is cutting ties with one its backup quarterbacks for Jalen Hurts.
“The Eagles are releasing QB Andy Dalton, sources say,” Garafolo reported on X.
“Tanner McKee and Cole Payton will be the backups to Jalen Hurts moving forward.”
Eagles Shake Up The QB Situation
Quite the turn of events for Dalton and the Eagles this week.
Throughout the summer, the Eagles utilized Dalton as the primary backup to Jalen Hurts, while keeping a close eye on Tanner McKee.
The Eagles claimed to have interest in both players as the primary backup, establishing a battle throughout training camp and the preseason. Ultimately, the Eagles chose Dalton, which came as a shock.
When the Eagles rolled out Dalton in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, he threw one pass. That pass ended up being a red zone interception. In the following week against the Los Angeles Rams, the Eagles demoted Dalton, making McKee the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart.
With injuries piling up, the Eagles must figure they need the extra space and no longer see a use for a fourth quarterback. Instead of cutting ties with the rookie Cole Payton, who had a solid offseason, they chose to go with Dalton instead.
Heading into Week 5 across the pond, McKee will spend his second straight week playing backup to Jalen Hurts.
What’s Next For Andy Dalton?
The Eagles acquired Dalton back in March 2026 by trading a 2027 seventh-round pick. The initial hope was that the Eagles would find a reliable backup between Dalton or McKee, and possibly get value from the other in a trade.
Dalton’s struggles throughout the preseason didn’t do him any favors. He finished the preseason by completing 18 of 35 passes for 168 yards. Dalton threw for one touchdown over three games.
Clearly, there wasn’t much value in a Dalton trade at this stage of the season. The Eagles will allow him to hit the open market. It’s unclear what could be next for the veteran quarterback, who has been in the league since 2011.
Dalton’s early NFL days were highly productive. He is a three-time Pro Bowler after starring with the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, Dalton has played for the Cowboys, Bears, Saints, and the Panthers, before making his way to the Eagles.