Tag: Tanner McKee

Best photos from Eagles 14-13 win over Patriots in preseason matchup

Best photos from the Philadelphia Eagles 14-13 win over the New England Patriots in preseason matchup at Gillette Stadium

The Eagles remain undefeated in the preseason after an ugly 14-13 win over the rebuilding Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.  New England rookie quarterback Drake Maye ran for a touchdown and led the Patriots on two of the team’s three scoring drives.  The No. 3 overall draft pick out of North Carolina appeared in just one series in the Patriots’ preseason opener but played the second and third quarters on Thursday night, finishing 6 of 11 for 47 yards.  The Patriots held a 13-6 lead in the fourth quarter when the Eagles rallied. Rookie running back Kendall Milton ran for a 1-yard touchdown, and second-year quarterback Tanner McKee connected with rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith on the 2-point conversion to give Nick Sirianni’s team the lead.  With the Eagles starting preparation for their preseason finale against the Vikings, here are the top photos from Thursday night. ***

Did Tanner McKee earn a shot at Eagles backup QB job with performance vs. Patriots?

Former Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee earned the right to be the Eagles backup quarterback with his performance in preseason win over Patriots

It’s only the preseason and not even a competition for Jalen Hurts’s spot as the franchise’s face. Still, Tanner McKee took giant steps toward securing the Eagles’ backup quarterback job with a masterful performance against the Patriots on Thursday night.

McKee entered the game on two different occasions — starting the third quarter and returning midway through the fourth.

The results were a stat line of 15-19 for 140 yards (7.4 average) and a 97.4 rating. McKee far outshone Kenny Pickett’s 11 of 13 passing for 67 yards (5.2 average), an 88.1 rating, and the former Steelers first-round pick got sacked four times on the night.

Philadelphia gave up a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98 overall) and a pair of 2025 seventh-round picks to acquire the former Pitt Panthers star, so simply releasing Pickett if this battle doesn’t go his way isn’t the most cost-effective answer. The Eagles could look to trade Pickett or keep all three quarterbacks on the roster, ensuring daily competition and two talented trade assets in a league where quarterbacks miss games weekly.

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Takeaways and observations from Eagles joint practice with Patriots

Philadelphia got their most extensive day of competition this summer after the team joined the Patriots for one joint practice session ahead of Thursday night’s preseason contest at Gillette Stadium. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looked sharp …

Philadelphia got their most extensive day of competition this summer after the team joined the Patriots for one joint practice session ahead of Thursday night’s preseason contest at Gillette Stadium.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looked sharp throughout the session, while DeVonta Smith put on a route running clinic. On defense, Nakobe Dean and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. stood out, while Cooper DeJean returned to practice for the first time since training camp started.

With the Eagles scheduled for a Wednesday walkthrough, here are takeaways and observations from the joint practice.

Joint practices are essential in Philadelphia. Isaiah Rodgers’s taking first-team reps on Tuesday all but solidifies his starting spot opposite Darius Slay in the opener against Green Bay.

Devin White is a lock to start at inside linebacker, while Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean alternated reps with the first-team defense in various situations.

The Eagles offense won’t be stale in 2024, as Kellen Moore is showing more pre-snap motion and zips in his formations.

Drake Maye didn’t play a lot of snaps in the Patriots’ first preseason game, but the rookie quarterback is getting plenty of work against the Eagles.

Maye and the Patriots hosted a joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday. Head coach Jerod Mayo said before the workout that Maye and Jacoby Brissett would be getting most of the work because “we’ve got to get ready to play some real football.”

Mayo labeled Maye “steady,” and the former UNC star made some big throws on Tuesday.

The Eagles star quarterback looked sharp on Tuesday morning,

Dean has gone from getting second-team reps behind Zack Baun to having a solid preseason opener, and he’s flashed again during the joint practice.

Trotter Jr. had a sack in the preseason opener and flashed again during the joint practice.

It was only a joint practice against the rebuilding Patriots, but the Eagles’ pass rush was intense and stout all morning.

Eagles to sign QB Will Grier to a 1-year deal

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing quarterback Will Grier to a one-year deal

The Eagles are adding another quarterback to the roster, as Adam Schefter reports the team is signing veteran Will Grier.

Grier, who will turn 29 next month, has not seen the field for regular-season action since 2019 in Carolina.

Grier spent two seasons in Dallas working with new Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier.

The Cowboys claimed Grier off waivers in September 2021, but he was not active for any games. In 2022, Grier was signed back to the Dallas practice squad after being waived in August and then signed to the active roster in October. Last year he had brief stints on the rosters of the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers.

A solid player at West Virginia, Grier entered the NFL as a third-round pick (No. 100 overall) by the Carolina Panthers in the 2019 NFL draft. He was the fifth quarterback selected in that draft.

Eagles’ projected depth chart following the first wave of free agency

We’re looking at the Philadelphia Eagles projected depth chart on offense and defense after the first wave of NFL free agency

The Eagles have undergone significant changes on both sides of the football field, involving player personnel and a retooled coaching staff.

Two pillars of the Philadelphia culture have called it a career, as Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox decided to retire.

The free agent period and NFL draft are Howie Roseman’s seasons, and the Eagles GM got off to a roaring start after inking running back Saquon Barkley to a three-year deal, signing improving pass rusher Bryce Huff and then bringing versatile defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson back into the fold.

Roseman then added talent to the backup quarterback position, acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Steelers for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks.

With the second wave of free agency set to pick up steam, we’re looking at an early depth chart prediction for Philadelphia.

Eagles’ report cards: Grading Philadelphia’s rookie class entering the 2024 offseason

We’re handing out grades and reviewing our rookie report card for the Philadelphia Eagles seven player 2023 NFL draft class

The Eagles entered training camp last summer with 17 rookies they believed could provide a bridge to the future and instant impact at crucial positions.

The 2023 class included seven talented players after the 2023 NFL draft, in which the team received glowing grades from experts and analysts.

Philadelphia landed five total defenders and four real players in the trenches, landing Tyler Steen from Alabama in the third round.

The Eagles also added plenty of undrafted talent.

Howie Roseman has raved about previous UDFA classes, with several big-named stars holding second-day draft grades.

Philadelphia had nine undrafted rookies that offered the potential to become critical contributors for years.

Mekhi Garner, Ben VanSumeren, and Eli Ricks saw key snaps as rookies, while Kelee Ringo will likely enter 2024 as a starter after some early learning curves.

With the young guys fully entrenched and the team looking towards April’s NFL draft, we’re handing out grades for 2023.

Eagles Rookie Tracker: Who stands out after September?

Going defensive heavy again in the draft this past year, the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) eight rookies have had promising developments in the preseason and regular season so far.

Going defensive heavy again in the draft this past year, the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) eight rookies have had promising developments in the preseason and regular season so far.

The two guys I think who stand out the most after September are safety Sydney Brown and defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Both guys have had stellar performances already and will only get better as the season progresses. Carter is also currently in the Defensive Rookie of the Year running at (+100) odds on BetMGM.

Below are all of the rookies’ stats and thoughts so far after their performances in September or preseason in August.

QB Tanner McKee

For McKee to have to play, Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota would have to be injured – which would be the least ideal position for the team to be in this early in the season. Luckily, we know what McKee is capable of as he put up great numbers in preseason.

OL Tyler Steen

Steen is another guy who probably won’t get much play time this season unless one of the core offensive linemen goes down. That’s not to say I’m not impressed with Steen either, but I’m also looking forward to how he develops under this core group of guys as the season progresses. I wouldn’t be opposed to getting him snaps later in the season if the Eagles put themselves in a position to succeed in the postseason. I think Steen is a good guy to keep around as the core offensive guys get older.

LB Nolan Smith

Obviously, the Eagles linebacker room is stacked, so Smith is probably going to be spending time developing in the linebacker room. So far this season, he’s had one solo tackle.

CB Kelee Ringo

Ringo had two solo tackles so far this season. I’m excited to see him continue to develop. Obviously, the cornerback room is stacked right now, but it’s exciting to watch Ringo continue to develop and already excel this rookie season.

CB Eli Ricks

Ricks hasn’t had much play time, if any, yet this regular season. However, he’ll be an interesting guy to keep around as he had a fantastic college career. Also, having the Alabama background coming to the Eagles continues to build the bond around the guys who come from Alabama and Georgia.

S Sydney Brown

Brown is a great player who had a great season. Since preseason, I’ve been rooting for him to make the team in an already shaky safety room. He’s had three tackles and one pass deflect so far. He’s been a speedy defensive guy that I think the Eagles will really benefit from.

DT Jalen Carter

Carter is one of the stellar guys the Eagles picked up and I could not be happier about it, on top of having Jordan Davis as well. The defense is getting beefed up and Carter, among the others is only just getting started. So far this season he’s had five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

DT Moro Ojomo

Unfortunately, Ojomo suffered a concussion in the preseason so of course a longer recovery time is necessary. Before the injury, I thought Ojomo would be another fantastic defensive guy in development under the Eagles. I hope the team gets to see what he’s able to do in the regular season.

Several Eagles players change jersey numbers after 53-man roster cuts

The Philadelphia Eagles had Kelee Ringo, Fred Johnson and Tanner McKee change jersey nunbers after the 53-man roster cuts via @Thacover2NFL

Training camp started with 90 players on the roster before getting trimmed down to 53 players over the past several days with a few shocking roster cuts.

With 37 players getting cut, three Eagles decided to change their jersey numbers ahead of the season opener at New England.

With the season opener fast approaching, here’s a look at the changes.

Tanner McKee is the latest rookie QB to light up the preseason

Eagles 6th-rounder Tanner McKee is the latest rookie QB to light up the preseason

It’s been an impressive early preseason for the rookie quarterback class. Several rookie QBs have looked very good in the exhibition season, from No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson of the Colts to Raiders fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell and beyond, a lot of rookie passers have played well in preseason.

The latest to join the list is Philadelphia’s Tanner McKee. The Eagles sixth-round pick from Stanford looked great in Thursday night’s 18-18 tie with the Cleveland Browns. McKee was poised and accurate in completing 10 of his 18 passes, netting 147 yards and a touchdown. He led the Eagles on both their scoring drives and (largely) successfully avoided an impactful Browns pass rush throughout the second half of the game.

McKee had some positive moments in the Eagles’ exhibition opener, too. On Thursday night, he definitively outplayed Marcus Mariota, who started the game for Philadelphia.

McKee’s rookie counterpart on the Browns, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, also had a nice night to keep his own impressive preseason progressing.

How each of the Eagles seven draft pick looked in preseason opener against Ravens

We”re looking at how each of the Philadelphia #Eagles seven draft picks looked in the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens

The Eagles selected seven players in April’s NFL draft, and outside of Jalen Carter, they all logged significant snaps in the preseason opener against the Ravens.

Jalen Carter only logged two defensive snaps, but that was really all Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni needed to see.

With joint practices against the Browns now complete, and the second preseason contest looming, we’re looking at how each of the Birds draft picks fared in the preseason opener.