Many Philadelphia Eagles fans left the 30-13 preseason finale loss to the Cincinnati Bengals game more confused than ever.
The biggest question surrounding this team was what they would do at QB2 between Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton. McKee finished the game completing 12-of-22 passes for 55 yards and 1 interception. Dalton had his best game of the preseason, completing 12-of-19 passes for 104 yards and 1 touchdown.
After two preseason duds by Dalton, the Eagles now face an interesting situation at quarterback with no clear sign of what will happen. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni did nothing to ease that uncertainty.
Nick Sirianni Shares His Thoughts on Philadelphia Eagles’ QB2 Battle
While speaking with the media, Sirianni was asked about the backup quarterback battle. Sirianni did not clarify who is leading the race for the job.
“I feel good about both guys. I feel like it’s a good room. …I view it as a good thing that I feel good about both those guys, and our staff feels good about both those guys.”
In three preseason games, McKee completed 63% of his passes for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns to 1 interception. Dalton completed 51.4% of his passes for 168 yards and 1 touchdown.
Eagles Are Nowhere Closer to Figuring Out QB2 Battle
McKee and Dalton made this quarterback battle anything but easy. Neither guy really won the job, with plenty of inconsistencies between them.
There is so much confusion there that no one really knows about rookie fifth-round pick Cole Payton. Philly’s rookie QB only played 21 snaps in three preseason games. That means the Eagles were trying to figure out what to do at QB2 more than developing Payton.
The Eagles have over 24 hours to decide what to do at quarterback. Many believe either McKee or Dalton will be traded. More people like McKee staying over Dalton based on the three preseason games.
It’s not clear what the plan will be at quarterback. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has pushed for the franchise to be a “QB factory” and mentioned that they could carry four quarterbacks. The hope is that doesn’t happen with depth needed elsewhere, but the possibility is there.
This will be a short process that feels very long. Sirianni said they are going to watch every pass to see which guy they want as the backup. If this includes training camp tape, it could be a toss-up on who wins the job.
The hope is that the Eagles will make the right choice either way. This won’t be easy for Sirianni, Roseman, and company to figure out.
Eagles’ Most Pivotal Position Battle Got No Clarity From Nick Sirianni After Loss