The Philadelphia Eagles made yet another quarterback move on Sunday, parting ways with Dorian Thompson-Robinson only hours after landing Sam Howell in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. The timing isn’t surprising, with the team needing to finalize its 53-man roster before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline ahead of the 2025 season.
The Eagles acquired 25-year-old Thompson-Robinson in March from the Cleveland Browns as part of the Kenny Pickett trade. A fifth-round pick out of UCLA in 2023, he played 15 games with five starts for the Cleveland Browns over two seasons, completing 52.6% of his passes for 880 yards with one touchdown and 10 interceptions. He also added 187 rushing yards on 35 attempts, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Although Thompson-Robinson began training camp slotted in as the third-stringer, he never quite showed enough to climb the depth chart. In two preseason appearances, he completed 10 of 16 passes for 73 yards with one interception, posting a 47.1 passer rating. When he didn’t even dress for Friday’s preseason finale against the New York Jets, with rookie Kyle McCord getting all the snaps, it became clear the coaching staff had moved on. McCord, a sixth-round pick, finished 15-of-35 for 136 yards with one interception in that game.
Bringing in Howell made it clear the Eagles weren’t sold on either Thompson-Robinson or McCord. Howell, acquired alongside a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round selection, provides additional depth with backup Tanner McKee nursing a fractured thumb. McKee will spend some time on the sidelines with his injury, but the team doesn’t plan to put him on injured reserve.
The Eagles now have Jalen Hurts entrenched as the starter, with Howell backing him up once he passes his physical. McKee will rejoin the competition when he’s healthy, while the team views McCord as a practice squad option if he makes it through waivers.
Thompson-Robinson’s time in Philadelphia ended quickly and without much to show for it. Back at UCLA, he looked like a true dual-threat star, where he accounted for 10,710 passing yards, 88 touchdowns, 36 interceptions, and 1,826 rushing yards with 28 rushing scores. But so far, that college success just hasn’t carried over to the NFL. His preseason performance and demotion below McCord ultimately sealed his fate.
