Trade Proposal Sends Former First Round Pick From Eagles to AFC East

While the Philadelphia Eagles were a juggernaut in the postseason on the way to blowout wins in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LIX, the end of the regular season was hardly smooth sailing.

With quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts sidelined for all but one quarter of the final 3 games of the regular season with a concussion suffered against the Washington Commanders in Week 16, the Eagles were forced to use not only backup quarterback Kenny Pickett but also third string quarterback Tanner McKee, who started and won the regular season finale against the New York Giants.

Like pretty much everyone else on the Eagles roster the entire season, both Pickett and McKee were more than up to the task. They both also created instant trade value with their performances at the end of the season where there was essentially none at all for McKee before that.

With McKee under contract through 2026 and Pickett with just one season remaining on the 4-year, $14 million contract he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after he was drafted in the first round (No. 20 overall) in April 2022, it would serve the Eagles well to find a trade partner for Pickett. More specifically they should target the Miami Dolphins, who are in desperate need of a solid backup quarterback.

From Bleacher Report: “It’s an unfortunate reality that the Dolphins will see their backup quarterback start a few games every year. (Tua) Tagovailoa has played all 17 games just once in his five-year career. His injury history at Alabama was a concern, and those worries have played out in the NFL … The Dolphins have enough weapons that they should be able to win games if they have a high-level backup.”

McKee Made Most of Opportunity Late in Season

In 2 regular-season games in 2024 — filling in for Pickett at the end of a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 and starting a 20-13 win over the Giants in Week 18 — McKee went 30-of-45 passing for 323 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.

“Tanner McKee” quickly became a trending topic on X during the Eagles-Rams game, with some even asking for him over am injured Hurts, who signed a 5-year, $255 million contract extension in March 2023.

“If Jalen is injured, please go with Tanner McKee over Kenny Pickett,” X user @Glenjr1988 wrote. 

“Cannot convince me that Tanner McKee isn’t a better fit for this Eagles offense than injured Jalen Hurts,” X user @DrezdanDale wrote. 

McKee Was Sixth Round Pick by Eagles in 2023

McKee, 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, was a sixth round pick (No. 188 overall) out of Stanford by the Eagles in the 2023 NFL draft.

“I got to give the Eagles the Quarterback Factory Award,” The Ringer’s Diante Lee said on “The Ringer NFL Show Podcast” following the Wee 18 game. “Unironically this time. I’m not making fun of them. They plugged Kenny Pickett in and he played well. He looked like a Pro Bowl level quarterback, like, production wise with the state line .. then he goes out injured and Tanner McKee comes in and he looks just as good as Kenny Pickett.”