Eagles grades: Tanner McKee struggles, Makai Lemon debuts in preseason finale loss to Bengals

Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 30-13 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals:

The winner of the No. 2 job is still unclear. Can both lose? Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton have been that uninspiring. The preseason finale offered more questionable quarterback play. There have been only glimmers.

McKee got his first start of this preseason after Dalton started the first two games. He played the entire first half. It was a brutal watch. McKee completed 12 of 22 passes, but for only 55 yards. He underthrew and overthrew receivers, looked timid in the pocket, and ultimately became a check-down artist.

» READ MORE: Eagles close out winless preseason with uneven 30-13 loss to Bengals; roster cuts are up next

McKee didn’t exactly have the best players around him. There were several drops, one that resulted in his lone interception. But receivers were also schemed open. Britain Covey got separation off a nifty double move for a would-be touchdown, but McKee completely overshot him.

Dalton took over in the second half. Like McKee last week vs. the New England Patriots, he outplayed his competition in relief. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown — and with a few lesser players at certain spots.

Dalton had some shaky moments, too. And when given the opportunity to engineer a go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive, he and the offense couldn’t get the job done.

On Dalton’s first series, he airmailed a third-down throw over an open Covey. He did better on his next turn. He got to his third read on a third-down conversion to receiver Quez Watkins. Later in the possession, he hit receiver Danny Gray for 26 yards over the middle. A series later, Dalton did well to avoid the rush and throw across his body for a 12-yard completion, and he drove the Eagles to their lone trip into the end zone.

Bengals running back Jamal Haynes runs for a 39-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Eagles Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Philadelphia.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Rookie Cole Payton came in late in the fourth quarter. He continued to hold the ball too long when he dropped. His passing wasn’t much better. In Payton’s defense, he hasn’t practiced much the last few weeks. The Eagles will take a long view with the fifth-round draft pick.

Payton must really want to play, though. He was in on the cover unit for the Eagles’ first punt.

Will Shipley was rewarded with a rest day after his impressive performance in the second preseason game. That gave Dameon Pierce, who missed most of camp with a hamstring injury, the nod to open the game. He looked strong and decisive in four carries for 44 yards. Pierce had a rumbling, bumbling 16-yard run in the first quarter. He did have a couple drops as a pass catcher and left early after an apparent injury.

Carson Steele got in the game in the second quarter. Like last week, he stood out more as a receiver. He broke a tackle as a receiver and picked up a first down. Steele later had a 17-yard reception that also included a broken tackle. He caught a 5-yard touchdown out of the backfield in the third quarter.

Steele also rushed eight times for 24 yards.

Makai Lemon got his first NFL preseason action after missing the first two games because of a hamstring strain. It was a tentative beginning. McKee went to him early and often. The first pass was underthrown for just a 3-yard catch. The second was an out pattern where Lemon got a little separation, but Bengals corner Tacario Davis broke up the pass.

Lemon later had a McKee delivery sail through his hands that was intercepted by Davis. It was thrown a touch behind him, but the ball should have been caught. The Eagles seem intent on starting Lemon right away, but he still seems green.

Receiver Darius Cooper was among several who played in the first two preseason games but got the night off, virtually assuring his place on the 53-man roster. Elijah Moore had a couple first-half grabs for 10 yards. Covey got open often and had two grabs for 20 yards. He dusted his man on the double move. Too bad McKee overshot him. Gray caught a 26-yard pass over the middle off play action in the third quarter. He had a couple other grabs.

Eli Stowers missed another chance to get live repetitions before the season. The rookie tight end was sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered last week. Tight end Cameron Latu caught a 10-yard pass in the second quarter, but stopped his route when targeted on the next play. Latu later couldn’t reel in a Dalton pass. He had a solid wham block on Pierce’s first carry for eight yards. E.J. Jenkins dropped a strike from McKee in the first quarter.

Stone Smartt had two catches for 10 yards.

» READ MORE: Final Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Will all four quarterbacks make the initial roster? It’s possible.

The blocking up front was solid, all things considered. While it’s not clear if Willie Lampkin was held out because of injury or because he already has made the team, Drew Kendall was among the non-injured Eagles who played last week to be inactive. Either way, both interior linemen are virtual locks to make the roster after strong summers. Rookie tackle Markel Bell probably would have gotten one more test before the opener, but he was held out with thumb and leg injuries.

Fred Johnson’s roster spot isn’t as secure. He started at right tackle and didn’t make any obvious errors. Johnson was also the first O-lineman to get pulled — a good sign he’ll make the cut. Jake Majors started at center and played the first three quarters. He did well to climb to the second level and lead the way on Pierce’s 16-yard carry. Majors is also a solid guard, but he could be on the outside looking in by Sunday. The same could be said for left tackle John Ojukwu and right guard Michael Jordan. All three are still NFL-caliber, but the Eagles will invest in youth.

Left guard Micah Morris got driven back in the second quarter on a run play that netted just a yard. But Morris continued to show enough promise to make the roster as a rookie. Cameron Williams replaced Johnson at right tackle and promptly got roasted off the edge. McKee’s arm was moving forward, however, and a strip sack was reversed to an incompletion. Myles Hinton didn’t get in until the fourth quarter.

The effort was there, and so were some highlights, but the front just didn’t have the numbers to compete all night. Ty Robinson didn’t get home for a sack as he did in the first two preseason games. But the defensive tackle didn’t play as much. Robinson did draw a holding penalty in the first quarter.

Gabe Hall started slow. He vacated his gap assignment and the Bengals had a nice run on their first play from scrimmage. But he finished strong and showed impressive closing speed and hit quarterback Sean Clifford in the third quarter.

A.J. Epenesa and Arnold Ebiketie started at outside linebacker and played just a few series. Epenesa set the edge on an early run stuff. Ebiketie generated pressure on an early third down that resulted in an incomplete pass.

Keyshawn James-Newby made a late plea to make the team after missing most of camp. The edge ripped the ball out for a fumble with a second effort. Earlier, he flashed on back-to-back plays in the second quarter when he ran down Bengals quarterback Josh Johnson for a sack and then pressured him into an errant throw. James-Newby drew a holding penalty in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles’ two foreign exchange students, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes to call them, struggled. Defensive tackle Uar Bernard and edge Joshua Weru may make the 53-man roster because of the team’s belief in their promise, but the future isn’t now. Bernard’s agility tangibles pop off the screen, but he understandably looks lost at times. Weru is more refined, but he needs to get stronger. He committed an early illegal use of the hands penalty.

The Eagles allowed more than 150 yards on the ground and a lot of those yards were on the off-ball linebackers. There were a lot of missed tackles. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was another who played in the first two preseason games and did not dress.

Smael Mondon wasn’t given that luxury, although he’s assured a roster spot. He started in the middle and was all over a screen pass that resulted in a loss. Chance Campbell was his counterpart. He’s a physical defender. He could sneak in. Campbell won at the point of attack vs. a pulling tight end and made a run stop. Deontae Lawson took over for Mondon. He made some poor reads as a run defender and was out of his gap a few times.

Kelee Ringo started opposite Mac McWilliams on the outside. He had an early pass breakup and got an early hook. Ringo won’t be getting a call on Sunday.

McWilliams got beat deep over the middle for 25 yards on the Bengals’ first drive. He surrendered another first down on the next series, and then the next, and then another. He might have the roster made, but it shouldn’t be certain.

Kapena Gushiken started in the slot and was targeted early on a few completions. He moved to safety on the second series and back to slot and got rubbed out on the Bengals’ second touchdown in the third quarter.

Shaun Wade got toasted by a double move in the first quarter. He did have a pass breakup a quarter later. Ambry Thomas was shaky once again. Isaiah Bolden got hurt late.

Michael Carter II made the team, but he likely played because the Eagles wanted to give him more exposure at safety. He tied up a tight end on a fade into the end zone on the opening possession. He later swapped spots with Gushiken and was yanked before the half.

Andre Sam broke up an early pass. A few plays later, Sam made a play on the ball from the post but couldn’t pull in the interception. He forced a fumble that the Bengals retained in the third quarter. Sam left when he was carted off with a likely significant leg injury.

The safety play was sloppy after Carter and Sam left. Maximus Pulley finished with seven tackles. Cole Wisniewski was back on the bench after suffering a concussion last week.

Kicker Jake Elliott needed three games to attempt his first field goal of the preseason. He converted from 45 yards out before the half and got another chance on the opening possession of the second and nailed a 56-yarder. Punter Braden Mann made fivepunts, including one for 56 yards.

Lemon was deep to field a punt in the third quarter and casually handled a squirter in which he lost a yard. Gushiken made a strong open-field tackle as a gunner on the punt cover team. Mims punched the ball and the Eagles recovered on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Rookie long snapper Rocco Underwood didn’t make any noticeable errors, but he may not survive post-waiver wire signings next week.

Nick Sirianni’s decision — or should we say general manager Howie Roseman’s — to rest Jalen Hurts and most of his starters didn’t come as a surprise. The Eagles avoided serious injuries and have previously proved that you don’t have to play in the preseason to win in Week 1. But with offensive coordinator Sean Mannion installing a new offense and Hurts and Co. struggling in camp, it could come into question if the unit is sloppy in the opener. Time will tell.

Mannion called plays in the booth for the second straight game. He didn’t deviate much from the vanilla play-calling of the first two games. He will get to display his arsenal for the first time in a few weeks. Fangio is looking forward to having his massively talented first unit on the field in a few weeks.

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The Eagles’ first-stringers get little to no action in exhibition games, annual joint practices with other teams become one of the few opportunities for starters to get preseason reps of consequence. This year, the Eagles traveled to New England for two days of live workouts with the Patriots. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Boston Sports Journal’s Greg A. Bedard recap what they saw, and explain why, even after the joint practices, the Eagles still haven’t shown much of an identity. Listen here.

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