The Jalen Hurts Philadelphia saga has never been one of numbers, but the 2024 numbers paint a multi-dimensional picture anyway. He threw for 2,903 yards, ranking 20th among quarterbacks, paired it with 18 passing touchdowns, and posted a 65.6 QBR that slotted him inside the league’s top ten. On paper, it was a season that gave endless amounts of ammunition for debate: good enough to make the Eagles competitive, yet polarizing enough to put them under the microscope. But Hurts has been the franchise cornerstone. However, this time again, things turned differently.

The rumor mill started when NFL insider Albert Breer observed that 25-year-old quarterback Tanner McKee, who showed promise in preseason glimpses, might attract trade attention from other clubs. Breer also noted that it would probably take a substantial offer for the Eagles to even think about trading McKee. As JPA Football on X put in: “Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee could draw trade interest from teams, Albert Breer said he anticipates. However, it would probably have to take a pretty strong offer from a team to be able to get him. The Eagles like him a lot, and he’s expected to be the backup to Hurts.”

Now, all that didn’t prevent some from taking the narrative and turning it into an unwarranted question about whether Hurts is secure in his job. All of these rumors become more credible when we consider what inside information Jordan Schultz reported earlier this week. Schultz cited an AFC general manager saying: ”Don’t think Eagles are done with trades. They have so many picks next year and that team is always gonna be aggressive.”

McKee’s preseason statistics had only added significance to this. For instance, 20 completions on 25 attempts for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the first half vs the Bengals. Last season, too, in two games, he recorded 30-of-45 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions, and a passer rating of 117.2.

Now let’s put that alongside Hurts’ 2024 season: 2,903 passing yards, 18 TDs, five interceptions, and a 65.6 QBR, and the argument writes itself. On paper, McKee’s small-sample greatness appears more dazzling. But Hurts’ full-season workload underscores the stability that comes from starting 15 games under relentless pressure. So, a trade? Ah, seems unlikely!

Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s front office isn’t sitting idle. The Eagles stirred Sunday with the addition of wide receiver John Metchie III from the Houston Texans, trading tight end Harrison Bryant. Metchie, who was a second-round draft choice and a former Alabama star, is raw material after fighting leukemia and failing to find a niche within the crowded Houston receiver corps.

For the Eagles, he will provide depth behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson. In addition to that, roster transactions just kept rolling in: wide receiver Johnny Wilson was put on IR after ankle surgery. Defensive tackle Jereme Robinson was signed, and wide receiver Giles Jackson was released to make room in the 53-man roster spot. For GM Howie Roseman, wheeling and dealing is now part of his DNA as Philadelphia keeps retooling for another Super Bowl run.

Fans stir the debate around Jalen Hurts

Though the trade chatter surrounding Tanner McKee was couched by insiders in terms of roster chess, the reaction of the fans was different. Different enough to, in turn, bring Jalen Hurts into the crosshairs. “Yeah that man is better than Hurts,” wrote one fan on X. A thread that thrusts McKee into a competition for the starting position in fantasy that turns out to be purely hypothetical. It also showed a segment of the fan community eager to crown the backup quarterback.

Another voice amplified the same belief. “Eagles should start him he’s better than Jalen Hurts.” Far from the overwhelming viewpoint throughout Philadelphia. It was an expression of public opinion when a backup quarterback showed promise. The debate heated up even more when one fan argued, “Back up? Eagles make it a fair battle and hurts gonna lose the job😭.” This comment spoke to the frustration that some fans experienced with Hurts’ slide in passing production in 2024.

Some of the comments were not about Hurts but rather for McKee. ”I think he’s (Tanner) pretty easily the best passer on that team,” another fan asserted, referring to his clean mechanics and aggressiveness to push the ball downfield. Nevertheless, analysts cautioned everyone that preseason mastery never quite translates to real-season pressure. But the expectation of McKee’s upside had clearly found a loyal corner of support. And then came the pragmatic camp: “If we trade McKee we better plop a backup off another team and get a lovely top player.”

So, the responses are mixed, and the Eagles might not look to trade the QB over Jalen Hurts.