The Man Is Milton

PHILADELPHIA – On Monday, Nick Sirianni offered unwavering support for fourth-year quarterback Tanner McKee, who for three weeks has been pressed into service as a starter.

“Tanner’s our guy,” he said, confidently. “We’re not making any changes there.”

But Wednesday afternoon, an ESPN report revealed a change at the position. Replacing McKee this Sunday, when the Eagles host the New York Giants, will be third-year pro Joe Milton, who will be making his first NFL start.

“I think he’s worked really hard,” Sirianni said Wednesday, regarding Milton’s progression. “Him and [Quarterbacks Coach] Parks [Frazier] have spent a ton of time together getting him caught up to speed. I know the developmental periods always help to be able to run our plays, but he works extremely hard. He’s always in the building doing the extra things, and I like his progression.”

On Sunday, Milton will become the third Eagles quarterback to attempt a pass this season, but at 2-6 now is the time for the team to evaluate the talent on the roster when considering future plans.

Milton, 26, was signed off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad on Oct. 16 and quickly usurped rookie Cole Payton as the Eagles’ No. 2 quarterback.

A 2024 sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots, Milton appeared in one game as a rookie, completing 22 of 29 pass attempts for 241 yards and a touchdown.

The following offseason, the Patriots sent Milton, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. Milton would appear in four games, completing 15 of 24 pass attempts for 183 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The Tennessee product will now take the reins in Philadelphia, where he will be tasked with providing a shot in the arm to what has been a lethargic offense mustering only 17.1 points per game and an average of 265.2 yards per game.

Helping matters, perhaps, is that Milton is better equipped to maneuver the pocket and pick up yards with his legs, an especially key factor considering the Eagles’ challenges with unblocked pressures. Milton, in theory, could negate some of those negative plays with his mobility.

As for McKee, once widely viewed as a future NFL starter, that buzz has significantly dissipated. While there are a multitude of factors contributing to the Eagles’ season-long offensive inefficiencies, McKee didn’t alleviate any of it.

For perspective, in his three starts since stepping in for starter Jalen Hurts, who is sidelined for an undetermined length of time with a blood clot, McKee completed 72 of 114 pass attempts for 638 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked 10 times over that span.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.