The backup quarterback race in Philadelphia is heating up, but the outcome seems clear. Andy Dalton is still the guy behind Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee had his best practice of the summer on the seventh day of camp, yet he has not overtaken the veteran. The former Pro Bowler has outplayed McKee so far this training season, and that gap matters for the team.
McKee Shows Promise But Falls Short
McKee finally took the first-team offense in the second unit during the sweltering session that lasted just under 90 minutes. He threw a nice ball to Danny Gray and found Darius Cooper multiple times with good timing. The former Stanford star capped his strong showing with a touchdown pass to Johnny Wilson. Bleeding Green Nation reported that McKee threw a ball to Gray, likely marking his strongest camp completion when that pass occurred. It was a solid day for the young quarterback, but one good day does not win a job.
Dalton Keeps the Edge
Dalton has been the more consistent option in the second unit. He led the second-string offense in the 11-on-11 drills while McKee worked with the other group. Dalton connected with Johnny Wilson and Cam Latu on crossing routes for big gains. He did overthrow Danny Gray in the end zone, but the overall performance was better than McKee’s. Bleeding Green Nation indicates Dalton has surpassed McKee in camp performance up to this point. The Eagles need a reliable arm to step in if Hurts gets hurt, and Dalton has shown he can deliver.
Hurts Leads the Way
Jalen Hurts turned 28 years old during practice and looked sharp in his work. He completed 9 of 11 passes according to Eliot Shorr-Parks’ charting from Bleeding Green Nation. Hurts hit Dallas Goedert on a curl route and found Elijah Moore on a short pass. During the team huddle after practice, his teammates celebrated his birthday by singing. The star quarterback is building consistency, which puts less pressure on his backup. If the season starts, Dalton is the one who will get the call, not McKee.
