How OTAs Changed the Eagles Quarterback Depth Chart And the Future of QB2

The biggest revelation of the Philadelphia Eagles OTAs still doesn't have a concrete answer yet. There's still a lot of uncertainty how this will play out.

Tanner McKee is the QB2 of the team. McKee's status hasn't changed as the QB2, nor should it as long as he's on the roster.

As long as McKee is on the roster.

The Eagles have been preparing for that reality in case a team comes calling for McKee this summer. A trade offer the Eagles can't refuse.

During both of the open sessions available to the media in the voluntary portion of minicamp, McKee and Andy Dalton have been splitting the QB2 reps. Here's the catch -- in both of the open OTA sessions, Dalton has been getting the majority of the QB2 reps.

McKee did get the majority of the QB2 reps on the first OTA practice, but that was closed to the media. On the next OTA practice open to the media, it was supposed to be McKee's turn based on the rotation.

Guess who received the majority of the QB2 reps? Dalton.

What does this all mean regarding the future of the QB2 position? How has the depth chart changed?

McKee's future as QB2

McKee is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is more than capable as a QB2 for the Eagles -- and any other team. Pending on how quarterback situations play out this summer, McKee could be in line to compete for a starting job on a quarterback-needy team.

This is where the Eagles can take advantage and get a high Day 3 pick for McKee, which would be excellent value for a team that likely isn't going to re-sign McKee. The Eagles are clearly stacking up draft picks over the next two years, so why not trade McKee and stockpile more draft capital?

Andy Dalton has been doing a fine job in OTAs, at least in the second one open to the media. If the Eagles trust Dalton enough to be the QB2 for one year, why not make the move?

The Eagles traded Kenny Pickett for draft capital last offseason and made McKee the QB2. They could do the same with McKee this summer.

The Eagles aren't keeping four QBs right?

Keeping four quarterbacks would be surprising, considering the Eagles have a surplus of them on the roster. The Eagles arguably have the deepest group of quarterbacks in the league right now.

Does that change if they trade McKee? Absolutely, but the Eagles likely aren't keeping four quarterbacks.

Dalton is on a $1.5 million salary and is capable of starting games, while Cole Payton is a rookie fifth-round pick. The Eagles have cut draft picks that were quarterbacks before, namely Clayton Thorson and Kyle McCord -- so it's not out of the realm of possibility that Payton could be cut with a poor summer.

McKee has the most value of the backup quarterbacks, but a team could want Dalton too -- even if he is 38 years old.

Projecting the quarterbacks come September is still up in the air. If the Eagles do end up trading McKee, Dalton is the QB2 behind Jalen Hurts and Payton is the developmental QB3.

Let's see what happens with McKee this summer.

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