A shocking decision to keep Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee on the final 53-man roster didn’t seem to make much sense for the Philadelphia Eagles.
At this point, the assumption is that the Eagles are holding out for a trade. The first matchup of the 2026 NFL season featured a starting QB going down, as Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury.
Will that result in the Eagles getting early interest in their backups? Eagles On SI’s Jeff Kerr explains why that’s unlikely to be the case.
Sam Darnold Injury Sparks Strong Message For Eagles’ QB Situation
“[Drew] Lock will be the starting quarterback while Darnold is out with the hip injury — for however long that is. The Seahawks don’t need a starting quarterback. They might not need a QB2 either,” Kerr wrote on Thursday, September 10.
“Jalen Milroe was Seattle’s third-round pick last year, drafted as a project after the Seahawks signed Sam Darnold. With Darnold winning a Super Bowl, Milroe won’t be starting in Seattle any time soon. … Milroe was a Day 2 pick for a reason. The Seahawks aren’t dumping him in year two.”
Philadelphia can’t get inside the heads of the decision-makers in Seattle, but it seems logical to believe that the Seahawks have trust in their current situation. Drew Lock helped lead the Seahawks to their first win of the season against the New England Patriots. That’s a good start for his run.
The Eagles Have To Face The Facts
The quarterback factory isn’t impressive this season.
Jalen Hurts is clearly a major success story for Philadelphia, but Tanner McKee’s value has tanked since the final week against the Washington Commanders during the 2025 NFL season.
Andy Dalton isn’t a homegrown prospect for Philadelphia. In fact, he’s a well-established name with a notable resume. However, Dalton’s best days are far behind him. After three preseason games with the Eagles, Dalton hasn’t defeated the washed-up accusations.
The waiting game might pay off. It might not. Seattle is facing a tough situation with Darnold’s injury, but it likely won’t give the Eagles a chance to move one of their guys.