The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their preseason under a cloud, losing to the Cleveland Browns 22-13. While coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged that his team had a tough outing, he emphasized the importance of the upcoming joint practices for evaluating player performance.
One notable decision was sitting quarterback Tanner McKee in both joint practices and the game, citing his strong showing in the preseason opener as the reason. However, this departure from past preseason approaches raises questions about the team’s conservative approach to evaluating their backup quarterbacks.
Meanwhile, the competition between Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord for the No. 3 quarterback spot heated up, with neither quarterback impressing. The latter’s performance was notable, however, as he demonstrated toughness by taking a crushing hit while throwing a touchdown pass.
Defensively, the Eagles had a bright spot in first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, who made an impressive sack on the second play of the game. His ability to rush the quarterback and swarming coverage could be key to the team’s defensive strategy.
Offensively, the line struggled with protection, and Tyler Steen secured his starting right guard spot despite sitting out due to a preseason injury. The reserve offensive line spots appear shakier than in past years, and Brett Toth will need to adapt to play left guard if Landon Dickerson is injured.
The ineffective passing game meant that wide receiver Ainias Smith had the top performance among receivers, catching two touchdowns in as many preseason games. However, Johnny Wilson’s chances of making the 53-man roster seem uncertain following a quiet outing.
Coach Sirianni acknowledged the team’s struggles and downplayed concerns about their performance, citing the importance of joint practices and the upcoming season opener on September 4.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6557791/2025/08/16/eagles-browns-takeaways-tanner-mckee-offense-jihaad-campbell