The Eagles could trade this backup this offseason.
PHILADELPHIA —Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee has the most to gain and lose in the team’s Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
If McKee plays well in his second career NFL start, teams could explore trading for him this offseason, potentially sending draft compensation to the Eagles. However, he could scare teams away with a poor performance. The 25-year-old’s lack of experience might already be a red flag for some organizations.
McKee has shown potential during preseason games and limited regular-season snaps. Many believe he could eventually become a good NFL starter, an unexpected path for the 2023 sixth-round pick.
“I think any time you get an opportunity to step on the field, you want to put your best foot forward,” McKee said on Thursday. “I’m not necessarily thinking, ‘Hey, something will happen.’ Any time you go out on the field, you want to perform.”
In McKee’s first career start against the New York Giants last season in Week 18, he went 27 of 41 for 269 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Eagles to a 20-13 victory.
A year later, McKee could improve his trade value even more if he plays well in a high-stakes game against Washington. The Eagles are sitting most of their starters, but they can still capture the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a win and a Chicago Bears loss.
During the regular season, Philadelphia’s backups usually play the final minutes of huge blowouts and meaningless Week 18 games. McKee is ready for a bigger moment.
“I’m definitely excited for that,” McKee said. “It’s obviously fun when something’s on the line, but anytime you get out, it’s an opportunity to go out, perform and to play. That’s what we do. And so if there was nothing on the line or if it was the Super Bowl, you’re going to approach the game the same way.”
In the last three years, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said McKee has been a “constant” presence for him during the offensive coordinator changes, which was beneficial to his growth.
McKee has also benefited from being around Hurts.
“J is great,” McKee said. “He’s a leader. He knows a ton about the game, about football, has helped me a ton. And so just trying to learn as much as I can from him and be a sponge because obviously he’s been highly successful and just a ton of things you can learn from the Super Bowl MVP.”
McKee always prepares to be the starter in case Hurts misses time with an injury, so he’s been able to keep his routine the same this week
But he also said it’s “nice” to get more reps in practice.
“I feel like as a quarterback, it’s really big to be able to play and just react to the game instead of trying to think of what’s my job, what’s my footwork, what’s everybody else doing,” McKee said about where he has improved. “You can just play and react. And so I feel like I’ve gotten to that point. I feel comfortable doing that.”
In his preparation as a starter, McKee said he has been more involved in making the calls throughout the week. He has also practiced his footwork and studied his reads.
“I’m still going to watch the same amount of film and everything, even though I’m getting more reps in practice,” McKee said. “But it’s nice to establish a little muscle memory the week leading up to it.”
McKee said he is focused on protecting the ball against the Commanders because he has not gotten hit much this season.
The Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts, among other teams, could be in the market for a starting QB this offseason. Maybe one of them would take a chance on McKee for a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick.
But with one year remaining on his rookie contract, the Eagles could bring McKee back for one more year instead of trading him. He might be more valuable than a draft pick.
“Just being a good teammate, knowing the offense inside and out,” McKee said about how he adds value as a backup. “If somebody has a question or they don’t remember something from a meeting or something that’s been on a drawing, as a quarterback, you want to be that guy that anybody can turn to and say, ‘Hey, what do I have on this route? Or what are you guys looking for on this? What’s your depth on this drop?’ So just being able to answer those questions.” …
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Category: General Sports
