Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts could be facing an extended period on the sidelines after a blood clot was discovered in his calf. Although initially the 28-year old was cleared to play, a follow up scan that revealed the clot forced the medical staff to rule him out of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
In his stead, fourth year pro and former sixth round draft pick Tanner McKee, who beat out recently-released veteran Andy Dalton this offseason to take the QB2 role, will start this weekend.
However, Philadelphia have a third option at QB: rookie fifth round draft pick Cole Payton.
Who is Rookie Quarterback Cole Payton?
Payton has yet to play an NFL snap on offense since being drafted out of North Dakota State in April, but if things fall foul with McKee, Eagles fans could see him at the helm at some point in the season moving forward, pending the severity of Hurts’ blood clot.
The 23-year old played five years at North Dakota State; although the first four did not see him start a game. He managed just 58 attempts and 37 completions from 2021 to 2024, before being named the starter ahead of his redshirt senior season, and fifth & final year of eligibility.
During his sole season as a starter, Payton shone. He passed for 2,719 yards with a 72% completion percentage, and proved himself as a true dual-threat in rushing for another 777, managing a combined 29 touchdowns on the ground and through the air, whilst only throwing 4 interceptions.
Could the Eagles Turn to Cole Payton If Hurts is Out?
For his efforts, Payton was named second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference last season. The Omaha, Nebraska native was also a member of the NDSU team that won the FCS National Championship back in 2021 with now Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Cam Miller.
Payton is also a left-handed quarterback.
Whilst Sunday will be the Tanner McKee show – barring any last-minute injuries or a truly terrible performance from the 26-year old – some less than ideal outings could leave room for Payton to see some action and introduce himself to the Eagles fanbase officially.
Who is Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Cole Payton? Rookie Could See Action in the Coming Weeks