Eagles' rookie QB Cole Payton earned a bigger opportunity against Patriots

The Eagles have four quarterbacks on the roster, and Cole Payton’s continued improvement could put one of the two veterans not named Jalen Hurts into roster jeopardy. Philadelphia prefers to have game-ready signal-callers in place behind Hurts, but there’s no doubt that the former North Dakota State signal-caller will enter this week’s joint practice sessions and preseason matchup against New England with an opportunity to apply some pressure.

The fifth-round rookie replaced Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee late in Philadelphia’s 24-7 loss to Baltimore and gave the offense instant energy. Payton completed 4 of 9 passes for 37 yards and rushed three times for 45 yards. He converted a fourth-and-3 with a 17-yard scramble and finished a nine-play, 69-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Erik Ezukanma.

That production should earn Payton a bigger opportunity against New England, with Hurts unlikely to play and McKee and Dalton likely sharing the workload, as in Week 1.

Dalton and McKee remain the leading candidates to back up Jalen Hurts, but neither created separation against Baltimore. Dalton completed 3 of 6 passes for 20 yards, while McKee went 6 of 10 for 35 yards. Philadelphia did not score until Payton entered during the fourth quarter.

Payton is not suddenly the favorite for the No. 2 job. He remains a developmental quarterback learning Sean Mannion’s system and adjusting to the speed of today’s NFL. Still, preseason snaps should be awarded to players who create reasons for a longer evaluation, and Payton did exactly that.

The upcoming joint practices will give Dalton and McKee work against New England’s defense. Saturday’s game should give Payton more than a late cameo. An earlier entrance would allow the Eagles to evaluate his command, accuracy and decision-making while controlling the offense and responding to pressure. Payton earned that meaningful opportunity by turning Philadelphia’s worst offensive night into something worth evaluating.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles’ rookie QB Cole Payton earned a bigger opportunity against Patriots