The quarterback position for the Philadelphia Eagles has been talked about more than anyone thought it would be.
Starter Jalen Hurts has been facing criticism from all angles, leading people to question whether he will be in Philly for long. Backup Tanner McKee's future has also been up in the air as the Eagles could be looking to trade him for a potential Day 2 pick in the draft. Even the third-string job was talked about after Philly traded for veteran Andy Dalton.
One other aspect is whether the Eagles would consider selecting a quarterback in the draft to potentially succeed McKee as the backup in 2026. According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Eagles had extensive conversations with North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton.
Eagles met with Cole Payton during pre-draft preparations
Payton had quite the 2025 campaign with the Bisons as he threw for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns to four interceptions while adding another 777 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He won two national titles with North Dakota State and was a second-team All-MVFC selection last season.
Throughout the offseason, Payton has been mocked as a fifth- or sixth-round pick by the Eagles multiple times. What makes Payton appealing to Philly is that he is a mobile quarterback like Hurts and would be great at developing similarly to how Hurts has.
There's always a chance that if Payton is picked, he could be the fourth string and end up on the practice squad in 2026. The reality, though, is that Payton being selected would signal the end for McKee at some point, as he could easily be traded either before or during the 2026 campaign.
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If Payton becomes the quarterback everyone expects him to be, then he should be a backup, and leaving him on the practice squad would put the Eagles at risk of losing. The last time the Eagles got a North Dakota State quarterback, it worked out pretty well, leading to the franchise's first Super Bowl, so why not go for it again?
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