Some believe the Philadelphia Eagles may have a serious problem at quarterback.
This preseason and training camp haven’t shown the best of Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee. At least with McKee, he bounced back with a two-touchdown performance in the 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots last week. As for Dalton, though, he has gone 6-of-16 in his first two preseason starts, which isn’t leaving anyone pleased with his performance.
This leaves the door open to a bigger conversation about whether the Eagles have a backup quarterback on the roster. It could lead to what some might think will happen: a trade.
Philadelphia Eagles Being Urged to Consider QB Trade
SportsRadio 94 WIP host Spike Eskin proposed an interesting idea for the Eagles to consider. Eskin believes the Eagles should look into either Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy or Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
“If you could get J.J. McCarthy for a fourth-round pick or Anthony Richardson for a fifth-round pick, especially if you don’t feel great about your backup quarterback situation, maybe you have some upside.”
“If you could get J.J. McCarthy for a fourth-round pick or Anthony Richardson for a fifth-round pick, especially if you don’t feel great
Eskin’s co-host, former Eagles defender Ike Reese, fought back on this idea. Reese believes the Eagles already have their backup on the roster.
“Don’t overthink it, Eagles — Tanner McKee is your backup QB. No need to trade for a reclamation project.”
In two preseason games, McKee has completed 68.8% of his passes for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns. Richardson and McCarthy are a combined 23-of-40 for 284 yards and zero touchdowns to 1 interception.
McCarthy and Richardson’s career stats aren’t much better. Both have completed under 60% of their passes and have a combined 22 touchdowns to 25 interceptions.
Should the Eagles Consider Trading for J.J. McCarthy or Anthony Richardson?
McKee has been a solid backup for this Eagles team since they drafted him in 2023. He took over the job full-time last year, and while he hasn’t been called upon often, he’s been reliable when playing.
Dalton doesn’t appear to be the answer Philly hoped for as a second- or third-string. Instead, he is on the chopping block for either being traded or cut from the team.
While the Eagles are a self-proclaimed “QB Factory,” giving up a draft pick on either McCarthy or Richardson feels like a massive risk. It could also cause unnecessary drama in Philly, leaving the door open to the possibility of Jalen Hurts having to look over his shoulder. There’s also a financial angle, since the Eagles don’t want to pay out either guy’s expensive first-round rookie contract.
This might be one trade idea that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman should consider passing on. There are bigger fish to fry on the roster to improve through trades than at quarterback.
Eagles Proposed 2 Wild Trade Ideas for First-Round Draft Busts