Who would have thought that one simple preseason decision from Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni could have a domino effect of moves that might be made in the next month?
Sure, it's preseason, so this might be too much to dig into, but Sirianni does have a decision to make that could have major implications for one position: quarterback. In the team's presumed final practice before their preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens, Sirianni had to answer a question about who the starting quarterback will be for the game, and he delivered a very vague answer.
"Yeah, we're still thinking through that."
Why Nick Sirianni's first decision of the preseason could impact a lot in 2026
It's safe to assume that Jalen Hurts won't step on the field for the preseason. The last time Hurts played in the preseason was 2022, so even with the new offense, he should be on the sidelines with a clipboard.
That brings Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee into the mix to decide who starts. Rookie Cole Payton might start the last preseason game if Dalton and McKee are both benched, but more than likely, Payton will only play in the third or fourth quarter of the Ravens game.
Dalton and McKee have been splitting the reps at QB2, as the two battle for the job. From all observations at training camp, neither guy has taken the job and run with it, so there is no clear top guy on the leaderboard.
Regardless, both guys have a big preseason game coming up that will have to take a lot to win the job. Sirianni detailed what he is looking for in the quarterbacks during the contest.
"You want the operation to be really smooth, you know, and it's first run for our coaches too. You know, we do things at practice, obviously, but this is the first time in a game setting we're able to do that. So you want the operation to be really smooth. You want everyone to be really clean on their assignments, and you're looking for good fundamental football. I think that's not any different than how we treat practice on a daily basis. I think it would be crazy to say, hey, now that we're in a preseason game, or now that we're in a game, this is what's important. No, it's our daily habits. So it's going to be a lot of the same stuff we look for in practice."
McKee has been an effective backup for the Eagles over the last three years and is a young quarterback the franchise is a big fan of. Dalton has been to multiple Pro Bowls and is a veteran of the sport, with over a decade in the NFL.
This kind of decision, though, has a massive impact on what the Eagles do in the future. General manager Howie Roseman might have an opportunity to move Dalton or McKee in a trade depending on who wins the job. While Roseman has already claimed that the Eagles could keep all four quarterbacks, some NFL teams will have injuries, and either Dalton or McKee could rescue them.
Read more: Nick Sirianni confirmed everything Eagles fans must know about Darius Cooper
There is a lot to decide over the next few weeks, but Sirianni's first decision could set some things in motion for Roseman. Don't count out the possibility that this could show the Eagles potentially looking to add a draft pick in the next month or before the trade deadline.
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