Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee is set to start on Sunday against the Panthers after Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a blood clot. It will be the first meaningful start of McKee’s NFL career.
McKee has started two games, in Week 18 the last two years, when the Eagles had already clinched their playoff seeds and decided to rest Hurts and their other top players. He’s never played a snap outside garbage time in a meaningful regular-season game.
The Eagles had a very experienced backup quarterback in Andy Dalton, but they cut him last week before Hurts was diagnosed with the blood clot. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Eagles ask Dalton to come back now that they need another quarterback.
The only other quarterback on the roster is Cole Payton, a fifth-round rookie who has a lot of talent but only started one season at North Dakota State and isn’t viewed as a player who’s ready to lead an NFL team right away.
We’ll find out on Sunday if McKee is ready.