Just a couple weeks ago, some beat reporters for the Philadelphia Eagles were wondering if Kenny Pickett was in a competition for the top backup quarterback spot with Tanner McKee. The latest preseason game did nothing to quiet that discussion as McKee outperformed Pickett. Even still, head coach Nick Sirianni insisted after the game that Pickett remains the top backup behind QB Jalen Hurts.
“You saw where they went in today,” Sirianni told the media in a video posted on the Eagles’ website. “Kenny is the No. 2 and Tanner is our No. 3, and I am really happy they’re both on the roster.”
Pickett played the entire first half against the New England Patriots in the Eagles’ 14-13 preseason win on Thursday. Pickett managed just three points on five drives. It’s not that Pickett was wildly inaccurate or anything. He completed 11 of his pass 13 attempts. But those 11 completions netted just 67 yards for a 5.2 average.
He was also sacked four times.
In the second half, McKee came in and completed 15 of his 19 attempts for 140 yards. He led one touchdown drive and zero other points out of the six drives he had. It wasn’t leaps and bounds better, but he did produce over double the passing yards that Pickett managed.
To be fair, Pickett was playing against the Patriots’ starting defense for the most part. He didn’t throw any interceptions and completed almost 85 percent of his pass attempts, but he wasn’t able to push the ball down the field. His longest completion was 19 yards, but it was a short pass that gained some yards after the catch.
That sums up Pickett’s play with the Steelers. He didn’t make the huge mistakes and stayed clean in the turnover column, but he also did very little to generate positive plays that helped drive the offense down the field for points.
There is still one more preseason game for things to possibly change, but it does sound like Pickett will be the Eagles’ top backup for the 2024 season.
