It was only preseason, but Tanner McKee was excellent on Thursday. The Philadelphia Eagles’ backup quarterback completed 20 of his 25 passes for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and zero turnovers—it was a near-perfect night.
Though his NFL participation is limited, the 25-year-old’s consistent standout performances raise the question: what’s his value? Are the Eagles sitting on a gold mine?
Examining McKee’s NFL Numbers
Let’s get into some of the numbers. Now, as noted, McKee’s NFL experience is severely limited, even if we include the preseason. But he’s never seemed out of place. Among the 56 quarterbacks who recorded as many plays as McKee did last season (48), he ranked third in expected points added per play (EPA/play) and second in success rate—the 94th and 96th percentiles.
Admittedly, these were low-pressure situations against struggling teams. He had a few plays against the Dallas Cowboys amid a Week 17 blowout and earned the starting gig against the New York Giants in Week 18. Though the Eagles played their backups against the Giants, theoretically making it an even playing field, he hasn’t truly been tested yet.
Still, the numbers back up the tape. McKee was efficient and calm in the pocket, completing 30 of his 45 passes (66.7%), throwing four touchdowns and zero interceptions, and suffering a sack on just 4.3% of his pass attempts. Regardless of the situation, that’s encouraging.
What Is McKee, Really?
It’s ultimately tough to pinpoint McKee’s ranking relative to other quarterbacks with such a limited sample size. But there’s some fringe starter upside brewing—a guy you’d gladly call upon if A) your starter suffers an injury or B) you want to change up the pace of a struggling offense.
Every season, several quarterbacks get multi-week usage based on either of those premises. Between November and December, things get especially hectic—it feels like half of the league’s starters were just backups. Many aren’t cut out for the boost in responsibility, hurting their team’s offense more than they help.
Here’s a lukewarm take: it’s not unreasonable to say McKee could be one of the better players in such a role. A full-time starter is a reach, but there’s upside as an emergency option. After all, injuries to Jalen Hurts and Kenny Pickett late last season gave the 25-year-old a path to making his debut.
What’s McKee’s Value?
So, we’ve established that McKee, at this stage, could likely be a multi-week option if a starter goes down or an offense isn’t clicking. But value-wise, what does that mean?
Even with McKee’s flashes, the Eagles probably wouldn’t be getting much on the trade market—likely a mid-round pick at best. He’s the type of player they’re better off keeping: unproven, but possessing immediate potential.
Hurts going down is always a nightmare scenario, but if he’s forced to check out, McKee can keep the team’s lofty record expectations (top seed in the NFC, preferably) within the realm of possibility. Making just $1,076,630 against the cap, too, he’s a nice piece for the Birds.
Teams across the NFL may not appreciate McKee as much as the Eagles do—that’s okay. The third-year quarterback may be one of the top backups in the league, capable of picking up where Hurts leaves off in case of an injury. Even championship teams need a floor-raiser sometimes.
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