80-percent of fans say McKee over Pickett; Giglio says not so fast
A backup quarterback controversy is brewing in Philadelphia, as 2023 sixth-round pick Tanner McKee outplayed Kenny Pickett in the Eagles' preseason win on Thursday night against the Patriots.
Joe Giglio still believes it should be Pickett, the 20th overall pick in 2022, who the Eagles acquired this offseason via trade. Hugh Douglas, along with most Eagles fans following their respective performances last night, wants McKee to backup Jalen Hurts.
"I saw it the same way everyone saw it," Giglio said on Friday's 94WIP Midday Show. "Tanner McKee outplayed Kenny Pickett last night...But Kenny Pickett was a first-round draft pick. Kenny Pickett has 24 starts and look, he didn't play well enough to keep his job in Pittsburgh. But he also wasn't an unmitigated disaster. They won football games with Kenny Pickett...He's won games in the NFL. Now, he's more of a backup than a starter...but I've seen him play and win with decent players and a good coach around him. Tanner McKee is a sixth-round pick. He's never played besides these summers when we get all excited. I do think it's worth noting Kenny Pickett came in and the Patriots had some defensive starters in there. By the time Tanner McKee came in, he's playing against backups on maybe the worst team in the AFC."
"I don't think it is a controversy because I think it is McKee right out of the game," Douglas said. "You have to take advantage of the situations that are presented to you."
"Are we overrating Tanner a little bit on some preseason games against the third stringers?" Giglio asked. "He went 6-16 as a starter at Stanford. 6-16!"
In the Eagles' preseason win over the Patriots, Pickett went 11-13 for just 67 yards taking four sacks and missing a potential big play to John Ross.
McKee, an Eagles' 2023 sixth-round pick, went 15-19 for 140 yards and took no sacks.
In a 94WIP Morning Show poll this morning, four out of every five people said McKee is the better player.
