The Detroit Lions opened free agency last week with several holes to fill, and while some of those needs have since been addressed, one that hasn't been is their backup quarterback situation.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the population of the Lions' QB room sits at two: No. 1 signal-caller Jared Goff and the returning Teddy Bridgewater. Although Bridgewater's presence was needed after losing last year's QB2, Kyle Allen, to the Buffalo Bills in free agency, his presence alone doesn't solve Detroit's backup quarterback needs.
Fortunately, the opportunity to find Goff's backup may have just fallen into the Lions' lap. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Philadelphia Eagles have acquired veteran QB Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers, sending a 2027 seventh-rounder back the other way.
With Dalton likely operating as Jalen Hurts' backup moving forward, the Eagles could be open to trading Tanner McKee, which should have the Lions more than interested.
Tanner McKee Could Be a Lions Trade Target
McKee is a fairly unknown commodity at the NFL level, having made just six appearances (two starts) since the Eagles drafted him with the 2023 draft's No. 188 overall selection. The 25-year-old passer still has youth on his side; however, Philadelphia's adding Dalton suggests that head coach Nick Sirianni might prefer a more experienced arm in the No. 2 spot.
If that's the case, Lions general manager Brad Holmes should pick up the phone to give his Eagles counterpart, Howie Roseman, a call sooner rather than later.
After all, despite his inexperience, McKee could be in the mix to be one of the league's top backup QBs.
The former Stanford Cardinal has shown flashes of potential, completing 61.4 percent of passes (54-of-88) for 597 yards and a 95.7 passer rating with five touchdowns and one interception. He doesn't use his feet often (just 13 rushing attempts), but that might not be an issue, as his lack of mobility means the Lions won't have to adjust their game plan as much if he ever fills in for Goff.
A potential trade likely wouldn't require the Lions to give up much. McKee will be playing the 2026 campaign on an expiring contract, so the Eagles could be more open to a lesser return if they aren't set on bringing him back. Additionally, his $1.1 million cap hit next season, per Spotrac, won't break the Lions' bank.
Detroit Can't Ignore What's Necessary
Although they'd have to give up some draft capital to pull off a trade, such a sacrifice will be worth it for the Lions if it solves their QB2 concerns.
As much experience as Bridgewater has under his belt, he hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since the 2022 season and hasn't won a game since the year before then. The last thing Detroit needs is to be forced to start him if Goff gets injured at any point.
Even if the Lions want to look to the NFL draft for quarterback help, that doesn't mean they should ignore McKee's potential availability. There's a chance that Bridgewater could continue to regress, opening the door for Detroit to open the 2026 season with Goff, McKee, and a yet-to-be-drafted rookie populating the QB depth chart.
Finding a proper QB2, either via free agency or trade, will only become harder the longer the offseason lasts. That's why the Lions can't kick the can down the road any longer. Trading for McKee, now that the likelihood of his availability has gone up, is something that must be done before the opportunity passes them by.