With the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring veteran Andy Dalton, fellow backup quarterback Tanner McKee could be on the move. Stadium Rant’s Charles North wrote about teams that could pursue McKee this offseason. The Colts were listed as one of those franchises:
“The Indianapolis Colts face a ton of uncertainty with their backup QB position. Anthony Richardson Sr. has requested a trade, and who knows if he will ever suit up for the Colts again. The Eagles have a relationship with Colts HC Shane Steichen, who could use a QB late in the offseason. Daniel Jones appears to be the answer for Indianapolis, but with only a few good months under his belt, it can’t be ruled out that he comes back to earth. Expect a lot of Colts trade rumors from the QB position to circulate as the season nears.”
Tanner McKee could very well be traded this offseason. If so, will Indianapolis be his next stop?
Tanner McKee Listed as a Possible Trade Target for the Colts
Looking Back at His Career
Tanner McKee starred at Centennial High School in Corona, California. He threw for 2,147 yards and 23 touchdowns during his senior year, and was a four-star recruit in 2018. After receiving college offers from schools like Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, and Washington, he ended up choosing to play at Stanford University.
However, McKee served a two-year mission for his church and didn’t arrive at Stanford until 2020. He would go on to play three seasons at Stanford, passing for 5,336 yards and 28 touchdowns. He recorded 2,947 passing yards and 13 touchdowns during his final season.
The most notable performance of McKee’s college career came in 2021 when his unranked Cardinals took on the No. 3-ranked Oregon Ducks. He threw a game-tying 87-yard touchdown at the end of the fourth quarter. McKee wound up passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns in that contest as Stanford stunned Oregon with a 31-24 overtime win.
The Eagles then selected McKee in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the 13th quarterback selected in the draft, following a record-setting 12 signal-callers, who were taken through the first five rounds.
Backing up starter Jalen Hurts, McKee has played in six career games, starting two. He started a contest in 2024 against the New York Giants, throwing two touchdown passes and zero interceptions. Then last season, McKee started against the Washington Commanders in Week 18. In that contest, he completed 52.5% of his passes for 241 yards and a touchdown with one interception.
Should the Colts Pursue McKee?
Earlier this offseason, the Colts re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million contract. The former Giant was having a great 2025 season until suffering a torn Achilles in Week 14, which perpetuated a seven-game losing streak to close out the year.
Jones will be Indy’s starting quarterback again in 2026. But it’s unclear whether he’ll be the same player that he was before the injury.
Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson (if he isn’t traded) will battle with second-year pro Riley Leonard to be Jones’ primary backup.
With the trio of Jones, Richardson, and Leonard in the mix, should the Colts pursue Tanner McKee? The answer is no. It could make sense, though, later on after the 2026 season begins.
There, of course, is a possibility that Jones gets hurt again or plays horribly early on. Plus, Richardson (again, if he isn’t traded) or Leonard could struggle taking over for Jones. If that happens, going out and getting McKee would be a smart move for the Colts to make.
The six-foot-six, 230-pound McKee has the potential to be a solid backup. But the Colts don’t need him at the moment.
Main Image: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
