Kyle McCord and Dorian Thompson-Robinson Struggled So Badly That Nick Had to Find a New QB for the Eagles
Philadelphia, PA – It wasn’t a move the Eagles wanted to make, but it quickly became one they had to. After disappointing preseason performances from rookie Kyle McCord and Dorian Thompson-Robinson — and with Tanner McKee sidelined by a hand injury — the front office decided the team couldn’t afford to gamble on an unstable quarterback depth chart heading into Week 1.
The plan was simple: Jalen Hurts at the helm, McKee as one of the best backups in the league, McCord developing as a rookie, and Thompson-Robinson sticking around on the practice squad. But reality hit hard. Both McCord and DTR regressed in camp and looked overmatched in preseason games, while McKee’s injury left the team dangerously thin at quarterback.
Enter Sam Howell. The Eagles pulled the trigger on a trade with Minnesota to bring in the 24-year-old, giving them a much more reliable QB3 option. Howell isn’t being hailed as a star, but his résumé shows why he was the obvious upgrade. In his lone season as Washington’s starter in 2023, he finished 4-13 while leading the NFL with 21 interceptions and 65 sacks. Still, he also produced moments of promise — especially against the Eagles.
In two starts against Philadelphia that year, Howell completed 73% of his passes for 687 yards, 5 touchdowns, and just 1 interception, posting a 107.2 passer rating. Those performances put him in rare company, making him the first Washington QB since Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh in 1945 to record multiple 70%-plus passing games against the Eagles.
That history clearly caught the Eagles’ eye. Howell’s ability to compete against their defense proved he had the poise and skill to be a serviceable option, far ahead of what McCord and Thompson-Robinson showed this preseason.
If all goes to plan, Howell may never take a meaningful snap in midnight green. The expectation is that Hurts stays healthy and McKee recovers quickly. But as Eagles fans know, crazy things happen, and QB3 has been called into action more than once in team history. With Howell in the fold, Philadelphia is far more prepared for the unexpected.
This wasn’t about chasing headlines — it was about insurance. And the Eagles just made sure their insurance policy is much stronger than it was 24 hours ago.
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