Why the Eagles Kept Four Quarterbacks, and Why It Might Stay That Way

The Decision to Keep Four

The Philadelphia Eagles will open their 2026 season against the Washington Commanders on September 13, but who will back up starting quarterback Jalen Hurts remains an open question. The team opted to keep all four quarterbacks — Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, and rookie Cole Payton — on the initial 53-man roster, and general manager Howie Roseman’s day-after press conference did little to clarify the pecking order.

“Anything that goes into preparations for Washington, we’re going to keep close to the vest,” Roseman said when asked if the team had named a No. 2 quarterback.

Roseman, who coined the phrase “Quarterback Factory,” called quarterback “the most important position in sports” on Monday. “I feel like all those guys have value for our team,” he said. “Obviously some is short-term value, some is long-term value when you think about Cole. And so as we went through the process here, just thought it was the right thing to do for our football team.”

Value and Development

Roseman’s explanation centered on the distinct value each quarterback brings. Dalton, whom the Eagles acquired for a seventh-round pick in March, is 38 and four years removed from being a starter. His experience in the system gives him value on the roster, whether on the field or in the meeting room, as reported by Sports Illustrated. McKee, 26, has one year remaining on his rookie contract and showed flashes but did not have a strong camp, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Payton, the team’s fifth-round pick, threw only 287 passes at the collegiate level, making him a developmental project. Sports Illustrated noted that cutting Payton and losing him would force the Eagles to spend another third-day draft pick on a developmental quarterback — a pattern they’ve already followed with McKee and with Kyle McCord, a sixth-round pick last season.

McCord was waived after camp and spent the year on the Eagles’ practice squad, but he later left the organization to join the Green Bay Packers in free agency. After a strong preseason this summer, the Packers traded him to Miami, where he will back up starter Malik Willis. Roseman alluded to McCord when discussing the quarterback situation, and a source told Sports Illustrated that the Eagles didn’t want to lose McCord, but he chose to leave.

No Trade, No Clarity

Roseman’s decision to keep all four quarterbacks also meant he did not make a trade in August for the first time since 2020. He explained that “with the way that practices went and the games went, there wasn’t an opportunity to do some of the player-for-player trades we like.” Sports Illustrated reported that Roseman didn’t want to trade McKee or Dalton just for the sake of making an August trade, ending his run of five straight Augusts with at least one trade.

It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Roseman shopped Dalton and McKee around over the weekend, as The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. There were teams with holes at the position, but neither quarterback separated himself during training camp as the clear No. 2, raising questions about their trade value. Dalton is a vested veteran who isn’t subject to the waiver wire, which adds to his roster security.

A League-Wide Trend

The Eagles are not alone in carrying four quarterbacks. The Falcons, Steelers, and Vikings all kept four quarterbacks on Sunday, though Minnesota released one on Monday, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Steelers have an obvious starter in Aaron Rodgers and uncertainty behind him, with Mason Rudolph figuring to be the No. 2; they also drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year and Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third this year.

Looking Ahead

Roseman’s comments suggest the Eagles are comfortable with their current quarterback room. “These guys are valuable,” he said, and he expressed confidence in the group’s short- and long-term potential. The team’s next test comes against Washington, but Roseman made clear that preparations for that game — including the backup decision — will remain internal.

“Anything that goes into preparations for Washington, we’re going to keep close to the vest,” he said.

As for the possibility of adding a familiar face, The Philadelphia Inquirer cited a report from PHLY that a reunion with tight end Zach Ertz is “on the table.” Ertz, 35, is recovering from a season-ending right leg injury and is a free agent. When asked about Ertz on Monday, Roseman said, “What an unbelievable player, what an unbelievable person, tremendous respect for him, and at the same time love what we have going in our tight end room, too.”

For now, the Eagles’ four-quarterback roster stands, and Roseman’s rationale — value, development, and avoiding a wasted draft pick — suggests it may remain that way for the foreseeable future.