(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles have their quarterback for years to come.
They signed Jalen Hurts to one of the most lucrative deals in major sports history, so — obviously — they have plenty of faith in him, and his status as QB1 and won’t be in jeopardy for the time being.
However, the same can’t be said of the backup spot.
The Eagles signed veteran Marcus Mariota to serve as QB2 behind Hurts, but he’s been fairly erratic during the preseason, and third-stringer Tanner McKee has outplayed him thus far.
Nonetheless, when asked about whether McKee was beating Mariota for the job, HC Nick Sirianni pumped the brakes on that and claimed that as pleased as he is with McKee’s play, Mariota is their backup for the time being, via Zach Berman.
Nick Sirianni on whether Tanner McKee can usurp Marcus Mariota: “You’re way too early on that. Marcus is our backup and pleased with the way Tanner is playing.”
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 18, 2023
The former Tennessee Titans first-round pick struggled in their preseason game vs. the Cleveland Browns, completing just nine of 17 attempts for 86 yards and one pick.
He was also sacked three times and added one carry for five yards.
McKee, on the other hand, went 10-for-18 for 147 yards and one touchdown, also taking three sacks.
Following a remarkable career at Oregon, Mariota went No. 2 overall in 2015, but he was never able to find his footing.
He lost his job to Ryan Tannehill and has bounced around the league with stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons before arriving in the City of Brotherly Love.
And while one could argue that the Eagles could do a lot worse at QB2, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him drop in the pecking order at some point.
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