The Philadelphia Eagles are now 2-0 in preseason play following their win over the New England Patriots. While there was a lot to like from the game, most of the positives vibes stemmed from a Tanner McKee breakout which led the team to victory. Negating that energy is the confusing stagnation of Kenny Pickett, who seems entrenched at QB2.
Kenny Pickett is the Eagles QB2…but is that the right call?
’The Eagles really like Kenny Pickett’ said Dave Spadaro during the broadcast of the game. ‘They view this as a team with 3 QB’s, Kenny Pickett is #2’.
The statement felt very confusingly timed. Pickett might be 25/35 on paper this preseason, but there’s a real lack of any play that would inspire confidence for a backup who could be dropped into a pinch situation at any moment should Jalen Hurts go down.
Pickett has an abundance of regular-season games under his belt. There’s no excuse for missing short throws, taking an abundance of sacks, and failing to see the field. he might have had 67 passing yards against the Patriots, but Will Shipley came up big on a 2nd & 22 screen pass to net the Eagles 3rd & 3, amassing nearly 25% of that total number in one play. Pickett’s inability to move the ball through the air is concerning, and the Eagles scored just a single field goal in the 5 drives he led.
What other options do the Eagles have?
Is Tanner McKee the answer to those problems? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as that. McKee lit up the field on Thursday, once again slinging it with a refreshing sense of confidence and aggression which was a stark contrast to Pickett’s overly conservative nature. He was working with and against lesser units and while he clearly outshone the majority of players on the field, but there’s still a big gap to live reps against starters. However, how is anyone to know what he or Will Grier has in the locker if they aren’t given those opportunities?
The other issue here is Pickett’s contract. When the Eagles acquired him, they did so inheriting his two-year deal with $4.6M guaranteed. It’s hard to leave that kind of money wasted, and if the Birds do decide to part ways with him, they’re still on the books for the entirety of his contract. It’s not a loss they can realistically swallow without just cause, no matter how alarming the signs on the field may be.
At the very least, Nick Sirianni should feel an urgency to give expanded looks to Will Grier and Tanner McKee. Grier only saw the field for a brief moment before McKee took on the bulk of second-half snaps, and while this is fine, if there are reservations over McKee’s current ability, then why not see what Grier has to offer? There’s only one preseason game remaining – a contest which infamously becomes a showcase for players on the edge of the roster bubble, so the looks they do get moving forward might not be enough to move the needle when looking for a QB2.
As things stand, Pickett will backup Jalen Hurts in 2024. The question for a franchise challenging for a Super Bowl really shouldn’t be one of money. They have the cap space needed to swallow that hit if they need to. It should be one of production. With 3 minutes to go, down 7, and in need of a pinch quarterback due to injury in late December, do you really trust Kenny Pickett to sustain an offensive drive?
That has to be the question, but the answer is one that the Eagles are trying to avoid admitting.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
