The Philadelphia Eagles already have their franchise quarterback in Jalen Hurts. Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee are fighting for the backup quarterback spot, while Will Grier is likely working for a spot on the roster.
The Eagles are entering their fifth year with quarterback Hurts. Back in April, Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract extension with the Eagles, including a $23,294,000 signing bonus, $179,399,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $51 million.
The real conversation is the battle for the backup quarterback spot, one of the most important positions in the league. The Eagles understand this — they rode backup QB Nick Foles to a Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Let’s break down the Eagles’ QB depth chart.
Who Are the Philadelphia Eagles’ Quarterbacks?
The Eagles currently have a young core with solid experience as the team continues to spend and build talent around Hurts. Here’s a closer look at the four quarterbacks currently on the Eagles’ depth chart.
Jalen Hurts
Hurts was selected 53rd overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. On Dec. 6, 2020, Hurts took over for Carson Wentz, and now the rest is history.
Hurts has started in 51 of 62 games, resulting in a career record of 37-24-1. He has 1,000 completions at a 63% clip, 11,764 yards, 67 touchdowns, and 34 interceptions. He has a 2-3 postseason record and a Super Bowl appearance.
Last season, Hurts and the Eagles took a step back in production and efficiency, going 1-5 in the final six games. Hurts started all 17 games, compiling an 11-6 win-loss record with a team that many thought was destined for another deep postseason run, but that wasn’t the case. He passed for 3,858 yards on a 65.4% completion percentage and an average 23-15 TD-INT ratio.
Kenny Pickett
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded Pickett to the Eagles this offseason back in March, along with a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall, Mason McCormick) in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98 overall, Jalyx Hunt) and a pair of 2025 seventh-round picks.
Pickett was drafted in the first round (20th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh by his hometown team, the Steelers. His time with the Steelers resulted in 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions with a 62.5% completion percentage, along with a 14-11 record and no playoff appearances.
His two-year stint was ugly, and the Steelers demoted him in Week 18 of the 2023 season and started Mason Rudolph. He now has positioned himself in a quarterback battle for the QB2 spot with second-year QB McKee, who seems to be a fan favorite.
Tanner McKee is getting some second-team reps again today. Something to monitor as camp progresses. #Eagles
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) August 4, 2024
Tanner McKee
McKee, the strong-armed quarterback, had a solid preseason showing in 2023. He has made waves and developed over time, working his way up to becoming the potential backup quarterback for the Eagles.
In recent history, the Eagles have needed a backup due to injury: Kevin Kolb, Foles, Gardner Minshew II, and the list goes on. McKee doesn’t hold any NFL regular season or postseason stats, but with the QB2 role, you must always be ready.
Will Grier
The final quarterback on the depth chart is Grier, who is currently fighting to be on the roster and for the third quarterback spot after the NFL approved Bylaw Proposal 1A in 2023, which permits each team to dress a 49th player as its emergency third quarterback.
Grier was impressive during the 2023 preseason, looking comfortable in the Cowboys’ offense. He threw for 640 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions with a 76.2% completion percentage throughout the preseason.
The Eagles signed Grier early in free agency on March 24. He was a 2019 third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers and has bounced around since then, landing with Philadelphia.