Kellen Moore is off to a rough start as the first-year head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
After Derek Carr’s surprise retirement last week, the Saints will reportedly hold a competition between 25-year-old rookie Tyler Shough, 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler, and 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Heaner.
There’s a real chance that New Orleans’ quarterback depth chart leads them into the tank for the upcoming 2025 season. If things do go off the rails, would the Philadelphia Eagles offer ascending backup QB Tanner Mckee to help out their former Super Bowl-champion offensive coordinator?
MORE: 6 best Saints QB options to replace Derek Carr, from Tyler Shough to Aaron Rodgers to Kirk Cousins
Eagles reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com recently proposed that question to fans via social media, and the response was a clear yes — at a specific price.
Of the near 7,000 voters, 46.5% of Eagles fans would want a second-round pick in return for McKee, with 22.2% voting not to trade him at all (24.8% would take a third-rounder).
Mckee — a sixth-round draft pick in 2023 — is not only younger than Shough, but has two years remaining on his rookie contract. He outplayed Kenny Pickett in training camp last summer and showed poise and polish when his number was called late in the regular season, combining for 66.7% completions, 323 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a QB rating of 117.2 in 89 total snaps.
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He did the majority of that damage with the Eagles resting their key starters in Week 18, utilizing Jahan Dotson as his No. 1 target with Moore calling the plays. In other words, there’s obvious chemistry here between the coach and player, and the Eagles could look to take advantage of that with GM Howie Roseman in the driver’s seat.
As it stands, McKee is the favorite to serve as Jalen Hurts’ backup in 2025. The Eagles traded Pickett to the Browns this offseason, acquired Dorian Thompson-Robinson as depth, and selected former Syracuse star Kyle McCord in the sixth round of April’s draft. While there should be no rush to trade McKee based on his recent ascension and cheap contract, flipping McKee this season for a Day 2 pick would be incredible value that Roseman and Co. would likely pounce on.
The Saints just spent the 40th overall pick on Shough, so with Carr now out of the way, there’s not much stopping the former Oregon, Texas Tech and, most recently, Louisville star from getting the first crack at being the starter.
McKee might be the better prospect, though, based on what he’s put on film so far as a pro, so a deal between Roseman and Moore (and let’s not forget old friend Mickey Loomis) could feasibly be on the table at the first sign of trouble this year.
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