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Tanner McKee wasn’t blindsided when the Philadelphia Eagles told him they were bringing in a quarterback this offseason. The Eagles value the No. 2 quarterback job more than any other NFL franchise, so McKee would have to earn the position.
Philadelphia wasn’t just going to hand over the job to McKee because he was next in line on the depth chart.
“They told me they were going to get another quarterback and we were going to compete,” McKee said after the Eagles’ preseason win over the New England Patriots Thursday night. “I’m just ready to go out and play whenever they call my name.”
McKee took the quarterback competition to heart, determined to prove to the Eagles he can be the primary backup behind Jalen Hurts. Thursday’s preseason win over New England opened the door for the conversation about the No. 2 quarterback spot.
McKee went 15 of 19 for 140 yards in his five series (excluding kneeldowns), leading the Eagles on a seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to give the Eagles a late fourth-quarter lead. Philadelphia got the lead for good when McKee executed a two-point conversion with a pass to Ainias Smith on the right side of the end zone.
The Eagles won 14-13 as McKee went 7 of 10 for 72 yards for a 90.4 rating in the final quarter (7.2 yards per attempt). This performance was behind a third-team offensive line mixed with players that likely won’t be on the Eagles’ 53-man roster in two weeks.
Kenny Pickett, who the Eagles acquired this offseason to be the primary backup behind Hurts, didn’t fare as well despite having better talent around him. Pickett finished 11 of 13 for 67 yards in the first half, leading the Eagles to just three points on his five possessions, averaging just 5.2 yards per attempt.
Pickett was going against the Patriots’ first-team defense on Thursday night. His numbers would have been better if John Ross looks on his outside shoulder instead…
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/why-tanner-mckee-is-making-a-case-to-beat-out-kenny-pickett-as-eagles-backup-qb-to-jalen-hurts/
Author : Jeff Kerr
Publish date : 2024-08-16 14:09:18
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