The Philadelphia Eagles head into the regular season with one of the most important roster questions still unanswered. Who backs up Jalen Hurts? Former Eagles linebacker and Eagles Hall of Famer Seth Joyner has heard enough.

“There’s zero chance the Eagles can go into this season with Andy Dalton as the backup QB,” Joyner wrote on X. “The tank ain’t even runnin on fumes!”

Joyner’s criticism comes after a preseason that has made the Eagles’ decision much less straightforward than when Dalton arrived. Philadelphia acquired the veteran from the Carolina Panthers this offseason for a 2027 seventh-round draft pick. He came to Philadelphia with 169 career regular-season starts and 16 years of NFL experience under his belt. However, the preseason itself was a tough showing for Dalton, furthering doubts about his ability to deliver in the regular season.

He completed only 6 of 16 passes for 64 yards against the Ravens and Patriots combined, while Tanner McKee went 16-of-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the latter game alone.

Heading into the Bengals game, the Eagles were still undecided on who would back up Hurts during the season. Sean Mannion, Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, continued to describe the quarterback room as a competition. Mannion also pointed to Dalton’s experience as something that benefited the group.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has been careful in his public comments about the competition. When asked after the Patriots game where things stood, he gave a measured response rather than handing McKee the job outright.

“We’ve got to continue to give both of them opportunities within practice and potentially games,” Sirianni said.

The Bengals game, however, changed the picture again.

McKee started and struggled to find much rhythm, while Dalton came in later and gave the offense a steadier performance. Dalton finished 12-of-19 for 104 yards and a touchdown, while McKee struggled to match that production. The veteran gave Philadelphia its only touchdown of the night, hitting Carson Steele for a five-yard score. It was a positive finish after his earlier preseason struggles.

However, Joyner remains unimpressed, perhaps because of his performances earlier on in the preseason.

McKee still has an important argument of his own. He has spent the past three seasons in Philadelphia and already has experience starting for the Eagles. He made his second career start in Week 18 last season, completing 21 of 40 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. That familiarity with the offense is a significant advantage when compared with a player who joined the team this offseason.

“I guess I feel good about both guys,” Sirianni said after the Bengals game. “I view it as a good thing that I feel good about both those guys, and your staff feels good about both those guys.”

Those in the media will beg to differ. SI’s Jeff Kerr projected Dalton to get cut, writing that “Dalton has been dreadful this preseason” and that McKee should be the clear front-runner for the backup job.

“The Eagles can part with Dalton — by trade, if possible — knowing he at the very least served as motivation for McKee,” Brooks Kubena wrote for The Athletic. His projected depth chart at quarterback includes Jalen Hurts, McKee, and rookie Cole Payton.

Andy Dalton has played for five teams in his career so far, and made his name by playing nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is a three-time Pro Bowler, but those mentions came when he was in his prime. Even though it looks like Dalton has still got it, the wheels are barely hanging on to him at this point in his career.

With roster cuts approaching, the organization now has to decide which quarterback gives Hurts the best insurance policy rather than which player looked better in August. The Bengals loss did little to settle that question, which is why Joyner’s strong reaction has added another layer to a competition Philadelphia still has not officially closed.