News Article
Published
Oct 15, 2026 at 03:36 PM EDT
The Philadelphia Eagles have a conundrum at quarterback this week as Jalen Hurts is out indefinitely with a superficial blood clot in his calf.
Given the nature of the injury, there is a possibility he could miss the remainder of the season depending on the treatment, especially if blood thinners are the remedy.
The Eagles are expected to start 2023 sixth-round pick Tanner McKee against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Rookie Cole Payton, a rookie fifth-round pick, is the third quarterback on their 53-man roster.
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Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton went in for Hurts during the Eagles' Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears while Hurts was being checked out for a concussion. Dalton wound up throwing an interception in the red zone (his only passing attempt of the night) before Hurts returned to the field. Philadelphia released Dalton on Friday.
There has been speculation that Dalton could return to the Eagles with Hurts' status for the season unknown. Per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, there is a complication for Philadelphia regarding Dalton. Multiple teams have given the 2011 second-round pick an offer since Friday.
"More on Andy Dalton: Sources say he has offers from multiple teams he’s been mulling for a few days now," Garafolo posted on X. "The Eagles had left the door open for his return on their practice squad and that was before Jalen Hurts latest blood-clot developments. TBD where he’ll wind up next."
Dalton is a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, with his last nomination coming in 2016. He beat out McKee for the backup job in training camp, but lost the QB2 role after the interception against Chicago. He might pounce on a more attractive offer if the Eagles are offering him the backup role to McKee.
McKee is 1-1 as a starter for Philadelphia. He's thrown for 597 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in his career.
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