Why Tanner McKee’s Absence Could Change the Eagles’ Fate Thursday Night

Well, this season opener between the Eagles and Cowboys is shaping up to be a real test of depth and resilience—because, guess what? Even though the Birds are mostly locked and loaded for Thursday Night Football, their backup quarterback Tanner McKee just can’t suit up thanks to a pesky right thumb injury. That means newly minted backup Sam Howell will have to step up behind Jalen Hurts, and honestly, that shift throws an interesting wrinkle into what I expected heading into Week 1. On a brighter note, Landon Dickerson, the Eagles’ left guard who missed some practice time with a back issue, is now good to go, having been cleared and putting in a full day on the field Thursday. His knee’s also fully healed after that surgery, which is a huge relief for the team’s interior line. And it’s not just him—safety Andrew Mukuba, linebacker Josh Uche, and defensive tackle Jalen Carter all pushed through their minor knocks and fully participated, meaning Philadelphia’s defense should be firing on all cylinders against Dallas. The Eagles might have lost one signal-caller, but they’ve kept as many weapons as possible ready to roll—and hey, that’s exactly the kind of tenacity and adaptability that could define this season. LEARN MORE

The Eagles will have everyone available for Thursday Night Football aside from backup quarterback Tanner McKee.

McKee will miss the season opener against the Cowboys with a right thumb injury, leaving recently acquired Sam Howell as Jalen Hurts’ backup. McKee did not practice again Wednesday.

Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson, who missed Monday’s practice with a back issue, is cleared to play. He had another full practice Thursday.

Dickerson missed most of training camp after having a knee procedure, but his knee is fully healed.

Safety Andrew Mukuba (hamstring), linebacker Josh Uche (groin) and defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulder) remained full participants and are good to go for Thursday.