Inactive Eagles-Packers: Who gets the nomination as No. 2 quarterback behind Jalen Hurts?

PHILADELPHIA – Kenny Pickett will be the Eagles’ backup quarterback and Tanner McKee will fill the emergency role for the team’s first-round playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

That alignment was in question during the week of practice as Pickett struggled with a rib injury that kept him out of the Eagles’ Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys early in the second half. McKee replaced Pickett in the game against the Cowboys and then also started in the regular season finale against the Giants.

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Pickett first suffered the rib injury in the fourth quarter of a Week 16 loss at Washington while replacing starter Jalen Hurts. Both Pickett and McKee will be eligible to play if something happens to Hurts, who returned to the field against the Packers for the first time since suffering a concussion in the first quarter against the Commanders.

The Eagles’ inactive players against the Packers will be offensive linemen Nick Gates, Trevor Keegan and Darian Kinnard, cornerback Eli Ricks, safety Lewis Cine and receiver Ainias Smith. Parris Campbell sat out Smith after he was kicked off the practice squad on Saturday.

Offensive lineman Brett Toth, who was signed to the active roster during the week, will dress for the first time this season.

The Eagles began their playoff game on Sunday with all 22 players who started on opening night against the Green Bay Packers active and able to play, a remarkable feat over the course of a 17-game, 18-week season.

Of course, that doesn’t mean all 22 players were 100% healthy for the playoff rematch against the Packers, but the Eagles are the healthier team heading into the game.

The Eagles now have several different starters than they did on Opening Day. Bryce Huff, for example, was replaced as the starting edge rusher by Nolan Smith and Avonte Maddox was replaced as the starting slot cornerback by Cooper DeJean.

The Packers will be without three players who were in the starting lineup on opening night in Brazil. That list includes wide receiver Christian Watson, who missed the season with a season-ending ACL injury in Week 18, and cornerback Jaire Alexander, who missed the season with a knee injury that required surgery. The Packers also traded Preston Smith, their opening night starter at defensive end, to the Steelers in November.

The Eagles also had 43 of the 47 players who played on opening night available Sunday. The exceptions were edge rusher Brandon Graham, punt returner/wide receiver Britain Covey, fullback/linebacker Ben VanSumeren and linebacker Patrick Johnson. Graham, Covey and VanSumeren were sidelined by injuries, and Johnson signed with the Giants after being released in mid-September.

The Packers’ inactives for the game include Watson, safety Zayne Anderson, offensive tackle Andre Dillard and tight end Ben Sims, with Sean Clifford listed as the emergency quarterback.

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Bob Brookover can be reached at [email protected]