The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will have some intriguing position battles when the start of training camp arrives next month.
As it stands, the competition between rookie quarterback Kyle McCord and the recently acquired Dorian Thompson-Robinison is not among them.
Philly’s QB3 spot is McCord’s to lose, per the latest 53-man roster projection from Josh Davis of The Philly Special Show. Citing a report from Eagles beat writer Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice, Davis called the battle between McCord and DTR “not close” following OTAs and spring minicamp.
“The whole Kyle McCord and Dorian Thompson-Robinson competition isn’t really even that close,” Davis said, “with beat writer Jimmy Kempski noticing that McCord got off to a strong start at each practice with several throws over the middle. Plus, just the way the rook carries himself is impressive to see. And add in very little reps and opportunity from DTR, and it’s very clear who the QB3 will end up being.”
This isn’t a huge surprise, as the Eagles didn’t spend a sixth-round pick on McCord this year just to immediately cut him loose. While GM Howie Roseman was praised for scoring a mid-round draft pick and Thompson-Robinson from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Kenny Pickett, DTR was never a lock to make the initial 53-man roster. He has one touchdown pass and 10 interceptions in his 15 appearances as a pro.
It’s easy to see the strategy here from Roseman and company. The team promoted Tanner McKee — a former sixth-round pick himself — to the No. 2 spot behind starter Jalen Hurts following Super Bowl LIX. If McKee continues on his current trajectory, the Eagles should be able to flip him via trade for a considerable return on investment.
Snagging high-upside, late-round quarterbacks in the draft and developing them into future trade assets is an art form that Roseman and the Eagles have mastered over time. McCord could be the latest example, and it would be absolutely stunning at this point to see him cut in favor of the struggling Thompson-Robinson.
Philly’s QB3 competition appears to be over before it ever really began.
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