Tanner Time

PHILADELPHIA – Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata didn’t mince words when speaking to reporters following the team’s most recent loss, referring to last week as the “week from hell.”

To recap the week that was, future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson retired, while fellow longtime linemate Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. Considering that, and all the attrition permeating the roster, Mailata’s assessment is certainly well-reasoned.

The Thursday bombshell that ushered in the jarring news that Jalen Hurts has a superficial blood clot in his calf was merely an extension of it.

“I think I was a little early,” he chuckled. “I might have jumped the gun on that one. Holy cow. Yeah, it’s the NFL, man. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

As the body blows continue, Mailata remains a calming presence amid the upheaval. His focus is leading this team on the field and off and pouring into the younger players tasked with stepping into larger roles. Rather than fixate on imperfections or hang his head, Mailata is instead investing his energy in two areas that he can control: his emotions and direction in how he leads the Philadelphia Eagles.

“And so, pouring into Tanner McKee, pouring into Willie Lampkin, pouring into Jake Majors, Markel Bell, that’s all I think about,” he said.

GETTY IMAGES: Tanner McKee (16) will start Sunday against the Panthers.

The latest gut punch means that the aforementioned McKee now becomes the face of the Eagles’ quarterback room in Hurts’ absence. The fourth-year quarterback on Sunday will make his third NFL start, though it’s the first that won’t come in Week 18.

In the Eagles’ locker room, before Thursday’s walkthrough, Hurts turned to McKee and delivered the news.

“It looks like you’re gonna be the guy this week,” McKee recalled him saying.

“And so, I said, ‘I appreciate it,'” McKee said. “[Hurts] expressed confidence, and then we had the conversation about why and different things like that. I mean, he’s an unbelievable teammate. Expressed a lot of confidence in me, and just said he’s gonna have my back if I need anything.

“So, he’s obviously an unbelievable resource for me. He’s been a great resource for me every game that we’ve been together for the last four years, and he’s gonna continue to be that.”

In what now feels like ancient history, McKee’s path to this position not long ago felt improbable. The Eagles traded for Andy Dalton, a 16-year veteran who was once the face of a franchise, and McKee’s foothold on the No. 2 quarterback job felt tenuous at best. In training camp, McKee and Dalton rotated with the second team, though neither signal caller emerged as the clear frontrunner. Still, it felt like Dalton, being the veteran, held the slight edge.

In the end, the Eagles kept four quarterbacks  – including rookie Cole Payton – and McKee was bumped to third on the depth chart in favor of Dalton. That lasted all of three games, however, as McKee reclaimed his spot on the totem bowl leading up to the Eagles’ Week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.

“Andy was a great resource for me,” he said. “He’s been in the offense before. I remember when we were installing plays, he was showing me, ‘Hey, back in, 2018 we had this exact same play call, and these are the looks that I liked getting it versus, and these are the alerts.’ And so, I feel like he was a great resource, great teammate.

“And I feel like any time in NFL you’re gonna have to compete for your job. And I feel like competitors like to compete, and so, as a competitor, you have to love it.”

With the team recently releasing Dalton, at least for now, the quarterback room consists of only McKee and Payton. But even if McKee hasn’t garnered many regular season reps over his first three seasons, his experience stems from continuous growth and exposure to different systems and voices. On the subject of growth at this stage of his career, McKee simply pointed out that he’s a little bit older and a little wiser.

To play quarterback in this system, presided over by first-year coordinator Sean Mannion, requires an adjustment period, specifically learning the intricacies and art of a different play style.

McKee, who experienced an uneven summer, was no exception, though it’s possible much of it can be attributed to all the newness on offense. Further supporting that point perhaps is that McKee seemingly improved in the second half of training camp. And after a couple more months in the system, McKee’s comfortability level in Mannion’s system is high.

“It’s been great,” he said. It’s been growing a ton, obviously, even from training camp to the first few weeks. And it’s been nice just to get a couple reps, but also have good conversations with Sean about what I like, what he likes, what we’d like to attack, the Panthers. So, I feel like it’s been growing and it’s at its highest point right now.”

McKee highlighted some of the offense’s hallmarks, such as timing and anticipation. He says it entails less thinking. McKee also cited the motion, moving parts and varied formations, which McKee said the Eagles can accomplish because of its personnel.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old McKee won’t have the luxury of taking the field with the Eagles’ full complement of offensive talent. Perhaps working in his favor, however, is that many of the players potentially in the lineup are players in which McKee extensively worked with in training camp, such as wide receivers Darius Cooper and offensive linemen Markel Bell, Willie Lampkin and Jake Majors. That continuity could manifest in cohesiveness against the Carolina Panthers.

“He’s just very poised,” said Cooper of McKee. “And I think that he gets through his progressions very well. And you better be ready when the ball comes because it hits you right in your face.”

But even though McKee has been in Philadelphia for over three seasons, there are many who are unfamiliar with the player and person. Perhaps best summarizing McKee’s character beyond the field was Majors, who offered unique perspective into the Eagles’ temporary starting quarterback.

“I think most importantly who Tanner McKee is as a person before a teammate,” he said. “That kinda tells you the type of person he is, and just the way he treats you outside of football. He’s a selfless guy. He loves the O-line, he appreciates us and I think on the field he takes command. He’s very demonstrative in the play calls, he does a good job communicating and he’s fearless.

“And when you got quarterbacks like we do who are fearless, they give us a shot to go win the game. And what a special QB group we got. I mean, you got guys over there who have been in this league for a while that can play and step up when we need them.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is the Eagles beat reporter for InsideTheBirds.com.