Quarterback depth is great for many reasons, but trading the depth is the biggest part, and that reality is something the Philadelphia Eagles once again have. With one of the best rosters in the NFL and a slew of talent, the Eagles can realistically trade a backup quarterback for draft capital and still feel very good about the team.
Tanner McKee, who impressed for the Eagles in 2025 and has done all the right things, could be a trade candidate, according to Ben Solak of ESPN.
“The backup QB on (Eagles general manager) Howie Roseman’s roster is always in danger of being dealt,” Solak wrote.
““McKee typically looks strong in the preseason, and he looked acceptable in two Week 18 starts while throwing to the Eagles’ backups. He is an older prospect (will be 26 next season), but he still has a developmental arc in that he has never seen extended game action. In a world where Will Howard might be starting for the Steelers or Quinn Ewers could be in for the Dolphins, McKee deserves a camp fight somewhere.”
If there are any problems with McKee, it’s the fact that he’s a bit old, as Solak touched on. It’s not the biggest deal that he’ll turn 26 next year, but we aren’t talking about a 21-year-old second-year player here.
While he lacks the long-term outlook of a younger prospect, he also hasn’t played enough snaps to say whether he’s as good as he can be right now. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him on a team willing to give him a shot and play well as a full-time starter.
The quarterback situations around the league only make him even more intriguing. Outside of Malik Willis on the trad market, there aren’t many great options for QB-needy teams.
For Howie Roseman, the decision would come down to asset management. Philadelphia has built a living for developing quarterbacks and flipping depth into draft picks when the time makes sense to do so.
If another team views McKee as a true No. 2 option, or even a cheap bridge QB, the Eagles could once again turn quarterback depth into future capital, which could be used to draft a player or packaged into making a deal for someone proven in the league.