The Philadelphia Eagles are in the final stretch of training camp, with just one preseason game left on the schedule, and they are still completely up in the air on who their backup quarterback will be for Week 1. Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion talked to reporters on Monday, giving us the inside scoop on how the offense is growing week by week as they gear up for the regular season. This isn’t some small decision; your QB2 is one play away from running the show.
The Backup QB Battle: Still a Total Mystery
Mannion spilled the beans on the ongoing QB2 competition, making it clear they’re evaluating the *entire body of work*. Yeah, the preseason games are a massive tool for evaluation, but this competition didn’t just pop up last month. Mannion emphasized that the battle started way back in April, with a ton of reps already banked on the practice field. He even said, “Both quarterbacks, really all of our quarterbacks have done a really nice job in the practice setting [and] in the game setting. It’s really about the entire body of the work. Certainly, the preseason’s part of that, but there is a ton of banked reps going all the way back to the spring as well.”
So, who’s got the edge? Mannion isn’t saying. He explained they’re just not at the point to name their Week 1 backup, with several more practices this week and before the season opener to nail things down. He gave props to Tanner McKee, noting he’s done a nice job operating and getting the ball out fast. And guess what? Andy Dalton did that well too! Mannion highlighted Dalton’s insane experience, calling him a “veteran in this league” with “well over a hundred starts,” which is definitely unique. That kind of experience is a huge bonus in the QB room, with everyone from Tanner to Cole [Payton] and Jalen [Hurts] bringing their own vibe. But at the end of the day, it’s all about what they do on the field, in both practice and games, that drives the decision.
O-Line Growth and Hurts’ Explosive Plays (With a Catch)
It’s not all about the QBs, though. Mannion gave a shoutout to new offensive line coach Chris Kuper, crediting him big time for the development we’re seeing from the young guys up front. That’s huge, because a strong O-line can make or break an offense.
And what about Jalen Hurts? Mannion said he “did a good job” in joint practices. They saw a ton of big plays on the first day, which is awesome, but there were “just a couple turnovers we need to clean up.” You know that’s always a focus, especially when you’re talking about taking care of the ball. On the positive side, the run game really came to life, and the play-action passes off of it were clicking. They even hit a sweet pylon route to Elijah [Moore]. Mannion summed it up by saying, “you could see the explosives,” which is exactly what you want from your franchise QB.
This Friday, the Eagles face the Bengals in their final preseason game. Mannion still isn’t sure if he’ll call the game from the sideline or the booth, but he’s comfortable with both after trying them out. This last game is the final chance for someone to really make a statement for that backup QB spot before everything locks in for Week 1.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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