Marcus Mariota's second NFL preseason showing as a backup quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles did not go as the veteran QB planned.  Third-stringer Tanner McKee had a strong showing however, so some wondered if he might jump Mariota in the depth chart. After the Eagles' 18-18 tie with the Cleveland Browns, head coach Nick Sirianni didn't have much patience for such rumors, per Zach Berman.

“You're way too early on that,” Sirianni said when asked about McKee usurping Mariota. “Marcus is our backup, and [we're] pleased with the way Tanner is playing.”

Mariota's last shot at being an NFL starter didn't go so well. In 13 games with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, Mariota managed just a 5-8 record. He threw for 2,219 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions on a 61.3% clip. That was good for an 88.2 passer rating, 21st in the NFL.

The Falcons have moved on to Desmond Ridder, and Marcus Mariota finds himself as a backup once again, behind 2022 All-Pro Jalen Hurts. Falcons fans weren't so kind to Mariota, finding some joy in his preseason struggles, particularly in response to a bad interception he threw Thursday night.

The Eagles drafted Tanner McKee out of Stanford in the sixth round of this year's NFL draft. McKee is a big, traditional pocket passer who really possesses desirable NFL traits. He may not have quite the “pop” to become a franchise quarterback, but as a backup, he's a very nice option for a good team to have ready.

At 6-6, 220 lbs, McKee was the No. 3 quarterback in his high school class. He played well at Stanford throwing for close to 3,000 yards and 13 touchdowns in a below-par offense. He didn't have much talent around him to really succeed, but his throwing ability forced opposing defenses to game plan for him.